Earthquake Risk in Washington
All Washington counties ranked by FEMA National Risk Index earthquake score
Earthquake risk — ground shaking from sudden movement along geologic faults — is rated for 39 of 39 Washington counties in FEMA's National Risk Index. King County carries the state's highest earthquake score at 99.9, with $1.21B in expected annual earthquake losses.
6 Washington counties are rated High or Very High for earthquake, and expected annual losses from earthquake total roughly $2.53B statewide. The full ranking below links to each county's complete 18-hazard risk profile.
County Rankings — Earthquake
| # | County | Earthquake Score | Rating | Ann. Freq. | Ann. Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | King County | Very High | 0.05 / yr | $1.21B | |
| 2 | Pierce County | High | 0.04 / yr | $364M | |
| 3 | Snohomish County | High | 0.04 / yr | $247M | |
| 4 | Thurston County | High | 0.03 / yr | $134M | |
| 5 | Kitsap County | High | 0.03 / yr | $120M | |
| 6 | Grays Harbor County | High | 0.02 / yr | $47M | |
| 7 | Clallam County | Medium | 0.04 / yr | $39M | |
| 8 | Whatcom County | Medium | 0.02 / yr | $51M | |
| 9 | Clark County | Medium | 0.02 / yr | $54M | |
| 10 | Cowlitz County | Medium | 0.02 / yr | $39M | |
| 11 | Yakima County | Medium | 0.01 / yr | $29M | |
| 12 | Lewis County | Medium | 0.02 / yr | $30M | |
| 13 | Mason County | Medium | 0.03 / yr | $26M | |
| 14 | Skagit County | Medium | 0.04 / yr | $33M | |
| 15 | Island County | Medium | 0.03 / yr | $22M | |
| 16 | Pacific County | Medium | 0.01 / yr | $12M | |
| 17 | Jefferson County | Medium | 0.03 / yr | $10M | |
| 18 | Kittitas County | Medium | 0.01 / yr | $11M | |
| 19 | Benton County | Medium | 0.01 / yr | $10M | |
| 20 | Walla Walla County | Medium | 0.00 / yr | $5M | |
| 21 | San Juan County | Low | 0.02 / yr | $4M | |
| 22 | Grant County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $4M | |
| 23 | Chelan County | Low | 0.01 / yr | $4M | |
| 24 | Skamania County | Low | 0.01 / yr | $4M | |
| 25 | Okanogan County | Low | 0.01 / yr | $2M | |
| 26 | Spokane County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $4M | |
| 27 | Douglas County | Low | 0.01 / yr | $2M | |
| 28 | Franklin County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $2M | |
| 29 | Klickitat County | Low | 0.01 / yr | $1M | |
| 30 | Wahkiakum County | Low | 0.02 / yr | $977K | |
| 31 | Adams County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $547K | |
| 32 | Lincoln County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $403K | |
| 33 | Whitman County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $419K | |
| 34 | Ferry County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $129K | |
| 35 | Stevens County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $157K | |
| 36 | Columbia County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $94K | |
| 37 | Asotin County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $77K | |
| 38 | Pend Oreille County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $57K | |
| 39 | Garfield County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $30K |
39 Washington counties with measurable earthquake risk. See the national earthquake ranking or all Washington counties by overall risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Washington county has the highest earthquake risk?
King County has the highest FEMA earthquake risk score in Washington at 99.9 (Very High), with $1.21B in expected annual losses and about 0.05 events per year.
How many Washington counties face significant earthquake risk?
39 Washington counties record measurable earthquake risk in FEMA's National Risk Index; 6 of them are rated High or Very High.