What can go wrong where you live?
Flood, hurricane, wildfire and 15 more hazards for every US county, with the full disaster history and what it means for insurance.
Disasters by state
All states ›Major disaster declarations for natural events in each state since 1953. Source: OpenFEMA.
Rankings
All rankings ›Hurricane losses
Expected loss a year
Wildfire losses
Expected loss a year
Tornado losses
Expected loss a year
Lowest-risk large counties
Risk score out of 100, counties over 500,000 people
Flood insurance in numbers
Look up your flood zone ›Every county page shows the share of homes with federal flood insurance and the claims paid there. Source: National Flood Insurance Program.
Guides
All guides ›Are natural disasters getting more common in the US?
Federal major disaster declarations by decade since the 1950s, the record year of 2024, and what the numbers can and can't tell you.
California counties ranked by wildfire and earthquake risk
Where wildfire and earthquake risk is highest and lowest in California, from FEMA's National Risk Index, plus how flooding fits in.
Counties with the most federal disaster declarations
Los Angeles County has been part of 86 federal disaster declarations for natural events, the most in the US. Louisiana parishes fill much of the rest of the list.
Does homeowners insurance cover flooding?
Most home policies leave out flood damage. What is covered, what isn't, and how flood insurance works.
Earthquake risk by county: where the ground shakes hardest
California dominates FEMA's earthquake rankings, but Alaska tops the list per resident and Seattle's King County ranks third for total losses.
Emergency kit checklist for any disaster
What to keep at home and in a go-bag for floods, hurricanes, wildfires, tornadoes and winter storms, with the extras each hazard needs.
Latest articles
All articles ›Are disasters getting more common?
Read the analysis ›US major disaster declarations for natural events, by decade. The 2020s bar (lighter) runs only to November 2026.
The US declared 179 major disasters for natural events in the 1960s and 601 in the 2010s. The 2020s already have 423, with more than three years to go.
More people and buildings in risky places, better reporting and heavier storms in many regions all push the count up.
Common questions
Does homeowners insurance cover flooding?
Usually not. Flood damage needs a separate policy, and only about 1 in 35 US homes has federal flood insurance.
When is hurricane season?
June 1 to November 30 in the Atlantic, with the peak around September 10. The eastern Pacific season starts May 15.
Are disasters getting more common?
Major disaster declarations for natural events rose from 179 in the 1960s to 601 in the 2010s. More people living in risky places and heavier storms in many regions both push the count up.
What does a "Very High" rating mean?
It is the top group in FEMA's National Risk Index. Only 17 of 3,144 counties are in it.
Which big counties have the lowest risk?
Among counties with more than 500,000 people, Anne Arundel County, MD has the lowest overall risk score, followed by Bristol County, MA.
Is this the same as a flood zone map?
No. FEMA flood maps show risk for each property. This site shows risk across a whole county, which helps you compare places before you look at a single address.
Where the numbers come from
How we use the data ›18 hazards for every county. Version December 2025, updated about once a year.
Every federal declaration since 1953. Newest included: Oct 27, 2026.
Homes insured and claims paid in each county. Updated every few months.