Washington Natural Disaster Risk by County
FEMA National Risk Index rankings for all 39 counties
Washington spans 39 counties with an average FEMA National Risk Index score of 70.0 (high risk) and roughly $4.72B in combined expected annual loss statewide. 5 counties are rated High or Very High risk.
Leading the state for risk is King County (score 99.7, very high), while Garfield County (score 1.6) carries the lowest. Use the table below to compare every county by score, top hazard, and expected annual loss.
County Rankings
| # | County | Risk Score | Risk Rating | Top Hazard | Ann. Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | King County | Very High | Earthquake | $1.68B | |
| 2 | Pierce County | High | Earthquake | $532M | |
| 3 | Snohomish County | High | Landslide | $409M | |
| 4 | Grays Harbor County | High | Tsunami | $212M | |
| 5 | Thurston County | High | Landslide | $191M | |
| 6 | Yakima County | Medium | Wildfire | $120M | |
| 7 | Pacific County | Medium | Tsunami | $106M | |
| 8 | Kitsap County | Medium | Landslide | $158M | |
| 9 | Clark County | Medium | Earthquake | $157M | |
| 10 | Whatcom County | Medium | Avalanche | $111M | |
| 11 | Chelan County | Medium | Wildfire | $89M | |
| 12 | Cowlitz County | Medium | Volcanic Activity | $88M | |
| 13 | Spokane County | Medium | Cold Wave | $99M | |
| 14 | Clallam County | Medium | Earthquake | $63M | |
| 15 | Lewis County | Medium | Earthquake | $71M | |
| 16 | Okanogan County | Medium | Wildfire | $51M | |
| 17 | Kittitas County | Medium | Wildfire | $78M | |
| 18 | Skagit County | Medium | Volcanic Activity | $81M | |
| 19 | Benton County | Medium | Wildfire | $70M | |
| 20 | Mason County | Medium | Landslide | $44M | |
| 21 | Island County | Low | Landslide | $39M | |
| 22 | Grant County | Low | Wildfire | $29M | |
| 23 | Douglas County | Low | Wildfire | $27M | |
| 24 | Klickitat County | Low | Wildfire | $26M | |
| 25 | Franklin County | Low | Heat Wave | $33M | |
| 26 | Jefferson County | Low | Landslide | $17M | |
| 27 | Walla Walla County | Low | Earthquake | $20M | |
| 28 | Stevens County | Low | Wildfire | $18M | |
| 29 | Lincoln County | Low | Wildfire | $14M | |
| 30 | Ferry County | Low | Wildfire | $11M | |
| 31 | Skamania County | Low | Volcanic Activity | $19M | |
| 32 | Whitman County | Very Low | Landslide | $14M | |
| 33 | San Juan County | Very Low | Earthquake | $10M | |
| 34 | Pend Oreille County | Very Low | Landslide | $9M | |
| 35 | Adams County | Very Low | Wildfire | $7M | |
| 36 | Wahkiakum County | Very Low | Landslide | $6M | |
| 37 | Asotin County | Very Low | Wildfire | $5M | |
| 38 | Columbia County | Very Low | Wildfire | $4M | |
| 39 | Garfield County | Very Low | Wildfire | $2M |
All 39 Washington counties, ranked by FEMA National Risk Index score.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Washington county has the highest natural disaster risk?
King County has the highest FEMA National Risk Index score in Washington at 99.7 (Very High), driven largely by earthquake.
What is the average natural disaster risk in Washington?
Washington counties average a National Risk Index score of 70.0 across 39 counties, with 5 rated High or Very High risk.
How much are expected annual losses across Washington?
FEMA estimates roughly $4.72B in combined expected annual loss from natural hazards across all Washington counties.