Marion County, Oregon
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Marion County, Oregon has a relatively high overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 96% of US counties. It ranks 4th of 36 counties in Oregon. The costliest hazards here are earthquakes, inland flooding and heat waves. FEMA estimates about $171 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $497 per resident. Since 1964 it has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (9 major disasters). The most recent was in August 2023 (Liberty Fire). About 1 in 77 homes here carry federal flood insurance (1,169 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $6.0 million on 400 claims here, including $2.5 million for floods in 2012.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Marion County
- Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
- Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
- 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.
- Check that cooling works before summer.
- Know where the nearest cooling center is.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earthquake | 99.1 | $122M | ||
| Inland flooding | 90.5 | $37M | ||
| Heat wave | 95.9 | $7M | ||
| Strong wind | 89.9 | $2M | ||
| Lightning | 88.2 | $986K | ||
| Cold wave | 52.0 | $932K | ||
| Tornado | 22.5 | $268K | ||
| Ice storm | 73.6 | $245K | ||
| Winter weather | 79.0 | $180K | ||
| Hail | 41.6 | $172K | ||
| Volcanic activity | 92.8 | $84K | ||
| Wildfire | 59.9 | $75K | ||
| Landslide | 83.6 | $23K | ||
| Drought | 16.3 | $1K | ||
| Avalanche | 33.0 | $122 |
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 moderate and community resilience is relatively moderate in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Marion County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 13
Oregon also had 42 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1960
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 71 storm reports in Marion County since 1960, with 0 deaths and 5 injuries and about $6.8 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF2 tornado on December 14, 2010 near Aumsville.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 14, 2010 | EF2 | Aumsville | 2 / 0 |
| Mar 8, 1960 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 12, 2017 | EF0 | Aurora Arpt | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 12, 1991 | F0 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 24, 2022 | EF0 | West Woodburn | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 12, 2001 | Wildfire | Breitenbush | $4M |
| Dec 14, 2010 | Tornado | Aumsville | $1M |
| Jan 20, 2012 | Flood | Orville | $1M |
| May 17, 2014 | Lightning | Woodburn | $75K |
| Oct 12, 2017 | Tornado | Aurora Arpt | $40K |
| Nov 12, 1991 | Tornado | – | $25K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Feb 25, 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 Marion County
Check your address flood zone ›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 Marion County
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; 132,295 housing units.
Compare in Oregon
All 36 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Multnomah County | Earthquake | |
| Washington County | Earthquake | |
| Clackamas County | Earthquake | |
| Lane County | Inland flooding | |
| Marion County | Earthquake | |
| Jackson County | Inland flooding | |
| Deschutes County | Inland flooding | |
| Linn County | Earthquake |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Clackamas County | 21 | |
| Linn County | 19 | |
| Yamhill County | 17 | |
| Polk County | 13 | |
| Wasco County | 24 | |
| Jefferson County | 20 |
Cities in Marion County
Common questions about Marion County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Marion County?
Earthquake has the highest expected yearly losses in Marion County, about $122 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $37.5 million.
How many federal disasters has Marion County had?
Marion County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1964, including 9 major disasters. The most recent was Liberty Fire in August 2023.
Is Marion County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively High, 4th 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 Marion County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 77 homes in Marion 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 Marion County had?
NOAA records list 11 tornadoes in Marion County since 1950. The strongest was an EF2 tornado on December 14, 2010 near Aumsville. The weather service has also logged 5 hail reports and 23 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.