Earthquakes are rare compared with floods or storms, but a single large one can cause more damage than years of ordinary weather. FEMA’s National Risk Index puts expected yearly earthquake losses across the US at about $25.6 billion, more than any hazard except inland flooding.
Only 8 counties are rated Very High for earthquakes, and 53 more are Relatively High. Most of the country, about 1,860 counties, is rated Very Low.
Counties with the highest expected earthquake losses
| Rank | County | Expected loss a year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles County, CA | $4.6 billion |
| 2 | Alameda County, CA | $1.35 billion |
| 3 | King County, WA | $1.2 billion |
| 4 | Santa Clara County, CA | $1.19 billion |
| 5 | Orange County, CA | $1.0 billion |
| 6 | San Bernardino County, CA | $922 million |
| 7 | Riverside County, CA | $764 million |
| 8 | San Francisco County, CA | $662 million |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025.
Los Angeles County’s figure is large partly because it has more than 10 million people and a huge number of buildings. King County, home to Seattle, is the only county outside California in the top eight. It sits above the Cascadia subduction zone and the Seattle Fault.
Per resident, Alaska leads
Dividing expected losses by population gives a fairer comparison between large and small places. Among counties with at least 100,000 people, the highest earthquake losses per resident are:
- Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska: about $1,220 a year
- Anchorage, Alaska: about $1,212
- Alameda County, California: about $805
- San Francisco County, California: about $758
- Santa Cruz County, California: about $703
Anchorage was hit by the 1964 magnitude 9.2 Great Alaska Earthquake, the strongest ever recorded in North America, and by a magnitude 7.1 quake in 2018.
Risk beyond the West Coast
Earthquake risk is not only a Pacific problem. The New Madrid Seismic Zone, where Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee and Kentucky meet, produced several very large earthquakes in 1811 and 1812. Charleston, South Carolina was badly damaged by a quake in 1886. Utah’s Wasatch Front, including Salt Lake County, sits on an active fault.
Buildings in these areas were often not designed for strong shaking, which can raise the damage when a quake does happen.
Does insurance cover earthquakes?
Standard home insurance policies exclude earthquake damage. You need a separate earthquake policy or an add-on. In California, coverage is available through the California Earthquake Authority and private insurers. Earthquake policies usually carry high deductibles, often between 5% and 25% of the insured value of the home.
Questions people ask
Which state has the most earthquake risk? California, by a wide margin, in total expected losses. Seven of the eight counties rated Very High are in California. Alaska has the highest risk per person.
Can scientists predict earthquakes? No. Scientists can estimate the chance of a strong quake in an area over decades, but not the day or year.
What makes a house more likely to survive a quake? Being bolted to its foundation, having braced walls in any crawl space, and securing the water heater. Older wood-frame houses and unreinforced brick buildings are the most vulnerable.
Where can I see my county’s rating? Every county page on this site lists its earthquake rating, score and expected losses alongside the other 17 hazards. See the earthquake hazard page for the full ranking.