Earthquake risk by county
Sudden shaking from movement along faults. Damage depends on the building and soil as much as on the size of the quake. Standard home insurance excludes it.
Highest expected losses
| # | County | Rating | A year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles County, CA | $4.6B | |
| 2 | Alameda County, CA | $1.4B | |
| 3 | King County, WA | $1.2B | |
| 4 | Santa Clara County, CA | $1.2B | |
| 5 | Orange County, CA | $1B | |
| 6 | San Bernardino County, CA | $922M | |
| 7 | Riverside County, CA | $764M | |
| 8 | San Francisco County, CA | $662M | |
| 9 | Contra Costa County, CA | $519M | |
| 10 | San Mateo County, CA | $497M | |
| 11 | Salt Lake County, UT | $488M | |
| 12 | San Diego County, CA | $426M | |
| 13 | Ventura County, CA | $392M | |
| 14 | Pierce County, WA | $364M | |
| 15 | Anchorage Municipality, AK | $353M |
Big counties lead this list partly because they have more people and buildings at risk.
Highest per resident
| # | County (100,000+ people) | Per person a year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AK | $1,220 |
| 2 | Anchorage Municipality, AK | $1,212 |
| 3 | Alameda County, CA | $805 |
| 4 | San Francisco County, CA | $758 |
| 5 | Santa Cruz County, CA | $703 |
| 6 | Humboldt County, CA | $692 |
| 7 | San Mateo County, CA | $651 |
| 8 | Santa Clara County, CA | $613 |
| 9 | Hawaii County, HI | $605 |
| 10 | Sonoma County, CA | $581 |
Expected yearly loss divided by population. A fairer way to compare places of different size.
Lowest risk among large counties
| # | County (250,000+ people) | Rating | Per person a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Broward County, FL | under $1 | |
| 2 | Washington County, MN | under $1 | |
| 3 | Lee County, FL | under $1 | |
| 4 | Palm Beach County, FL | under $1 | |
| 5 | Dakota County, MN | under $1 | |
| 6 | Ramsey County, MN | under $1 | |
| 7 | Miami-Dade County, FL | under $1 | |
| 8 | Anoka County, MN | under $1 | |
| 9 | Sarasota County, FL | under $1 | |
| 10 | Bexar County, TX | under $1 |
How ratings are spread
The lists above show only the top counties, so they are all rated high. Across all 3,137 rated counties, most are Low or Very Low:
How to prepare
- Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
- Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
- Secure heavy furniture and water heaters.
States where it is most often the top hazard
Common questions
Which US county has the highest earthquake risk?
Los Angeles County, CA has the highest expected yearly earthquake losses in FEMA's National Risk Index, about $4.6 billion a year. Alameda County, CA is second at $1.4 billion.
How many counties face earthquake risk?
FEMA rates earthquake in 3,137 of 3,144 counties in the 50 states and DC. 8 are rated Very High and 53 Relatively High.
Is earthquake covered by home insurance?
Usually not. Earthquake cover is a separate policy or add-on.
Other hazards
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025). Expected annual loss is FEMA's long-run estimate of yearly damage to buildings, people and farm output, in dollars.