Home › Oregon › Grant County

Grant County, Oregon

Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.

Very Low overall risk
28th of 36highest risk in Oregon
$7Mexpected losses a year
13federal declarations
1 in 100homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Grant County, Oregon has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 68% of US counties. It ranks 28th of 36 counties in Oregon. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, wildfires and lightning. FEMA estimates about $7.5 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $1,034 per resident. Since 1964 it has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (5 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2025 (wildfires). Only 38 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $53,000 on 12 claims here.

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.

Top risks in Grant County

$4.8 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 years.
  • Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
  • Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.

Wildfire

Moderate
$1.8 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 140 years.
  • Clear dry plants and debris within 5 feet of the house.
  • Get home insurance quotes early; availability varies by area.

Lightning

Moderate
$439,360 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 20 times a year.
  • Go indoors when you hear thunder.
  • Use surge protectors for electronics.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow50.2
$5M
WildfireModerate93.6
$2M
LightningModerate75.6
$439K
Cold waveVery Low14.5
$105K
Heat waveVery Low29.4
$93K
Winter weatherLow50.3
$46K
HailVery Low12.1
$28K
EarthquakeVery Low23.4
$27K
Strong windVery Low5.4
$26K
LandslideLow85.1
$22K
Ice stormVery Low15.3
$7K
AvalancheLow72.8
$6K
TornadoVery Low2.3
$3K
DroughtVery Low13.9
$146
Volcanic activityVery Low53.1
$12

Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is relatively high and community resilience is relatively low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Grant County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Fire7
Flood2
Severe Storm2
Drought1
Coastal Storm1

Most recent

Jan 1, 2025WildfiresMajor disaster
Sep 7, 2024Rail Ridge FireFire management
Jul 21, 2024Battle Mountain Fire ComplexFire management
Jul 21, 2024Boneyard FireFire management
Jul 18, 2024Falls FireFire management
Jul 9, 2019Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Aug 15, 2015Canyon Creek Fire ComplexFire management
Sep 7, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Feb 19, 2004Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Jul 19, 2002Or - Flagtail Fire - 07/19/02Fire management
Show all 13
Jan 23, 1997Severe Winter Storms, Land and Mudslides, FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 29, 1977DroughtEmergency
Dec 24, 1964Heavy Rains & FloodingMajor disaster

Oregon also had 42 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1982

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 80 storm reports in Grant County since 1982 and about $2.2 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F1 tornado on July 19, 2004 near Ritter.

3tornadoes
33hail reports, largest 2.5 inches
18damaging thunderstorm winds
13floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jul 19, 2004F1Ritter0 / 0
Oct 4, 2003F0Fox0 / 0
Nov 5, 2023EF0Canyon City0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 8, 2019FloodMonument Arpt$1M
May 15, 2011FloodCanyon City$688K
Jul 19, 2004HailRitter$50K
Jul 11, 2001Thunderstorm WindMonument$15K
Jun 8, 2001HailLong Creek$5K
Jun 8, 2001HailGranite$2K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jan 3, 2025. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.

Flood insurance in Grant County

Check your address flood zone ›
1%of homes have federal flood insurance (38 policies)
3300%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$52,564paid on 12 flood claims since 1978
1997costliest year, with $38,096 paid

National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.

Homes in Grant County

$229,700median home value (Oregon $477,600, US $332,700)
1971median year homes were built (Oregon 1981, US 1980)
67%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
19.3%of homes are mobile homes, which are the least safe in tornadoes and high winds

Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 4,157 housing units.

Compare in Oregon

All 36 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Multnomah CountyHighEarthquake
Washington CountyHighEarthquake
Clackamas CountyHighEarthquake
Lane CountyHighInland flooding
Marion CountyHighEarthquake
Jackson CountyModerateInland flooding
Deschutes CountyModerateInland flooding
Linn CountyModerateEarthquake

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Umatilla CountyModerate13
Malheur CountyVery Low5
Union CountyLow8
Crook CountyVery Low10
Baker CountyLow10
Morrow CountyVery Low8
Harney CountyVery Low6
Wheeler CountyVery Low12

Common questions about Grant County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Grant County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Grant County, about $4.8 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Wildfire is second at $1.8 million.

How many federal disasters has Grant County had?

Grant County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1964, including 5 major disasters. The most recent was Wildfires in January 2025.

Is Grant County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 28th highest of 36 in Oregon. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.

Do I need flood insurance in Grant County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 100 homes in Grant County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.

How many tornadoes has Grant County had?

NOAA records list 3 tornadoes in Grant County since 1950. The strongest was an F1 tornado on July 19, 2004 near Ritter. The weather service has also logged 33 hail reports and 13 floods here.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.