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Safest places to live from natural disasters

US counties with the lowest overall risk in FEMA's National Risk Index, and the safest county in every state.

Photo: BigCypressNPS, public domain

Large counties (250,000+ people)

1Virginia Beach City, VA
458,853 people. Top hazard: HurricaneLow2Howard County, MD
332,270 people. Top hazard: Inland floodingLow3Harford County, MD
260,746 people. Top hazard: Inland floodingLow4Frederick County, MD
271,433 people. Top hazard: Inland floodingLow5Cumberland County, ME
302,870 people. Top hazard: Inland floodingLow6Loudoun County, VA
418,601 people. Top hazard: Inland floodingLow7Kalamazoo County, MI
261,632 people. Top hazard: Inland floodingModerate8Anne Arundel County, MD
587,917 people. Top hazard: Inland floodingModerate9Ottawa County, MI
296,165 people. Top hazard: Inland floodingModerate10Prince William County, VA
481,359 people. Top hazard: Inland floodingModerate11Henrico County, VA
334,329 people. Top hazard: Inland floodingModerate12Washington County, MN
267,506 people. Top hazard: Inland floodingModerate13Erie County, PA
270,695 people. Top hazard: Inland floodingModerate14Chesterfield County, VA
364,108 people. Top hazard: Inland floodingModerate15Cherokee County, GA
266,412 people. Top hazard: Inland floodingModerate16Rockingham County, NH
314,137 people. Top hazard: Inland floodingModerate17St. Joseph County, IN
272,680 people. Top hazard: Inland floodingModerate18Albany County, NY
314,684 people. Top hazard: Inland floodingModerate19Forsyth County, GA
251,239 people. Top hazard: Inland floodingModerate20Cumberland County, PA
259,125 people. Top hazard: Inland floodingModerate

Mid-size counties (50,000 to 250,000)

1Bristol County, RI
50,793 people. Top hazard: Inland floodingVery Low2Harrisonburg City, VA
51,814 people. Top hazard: Inland floodingVery Low3Calvert County, MD
92,747 people. Top hazard: Inland floodingVery Low4Calumet County, WI
52,428 people. Top hazard: Inland floodingVery Low5Campbell County, VA
55,696 people. Top hazard: Inland floodingVery Low6Union County, OH
62,265 people. Top hazard: Inland floodingVery Low7Broomfield County, CO
74,051 people. Top hazard: Inland floodingVery Low8Warren County, IA
52,398 people. Top hazard: Inland floodingVery Low9Newport County, RI
85,564 people. Top hazard: Inland floodingVery Low10Putnam County, NY
97,640 people. Top hazard: Inland floodingVery Low11Jessamine County, KY
52,980 people. Top hazard: Inland floodingVery Low12Spalding County, GA
67,247 people. Top hazard: Inland floodingVery Low13Jackson County, GA
75,573 people. Top hazard: Inland floodingVery Low14St. Mary's County, MD
113,699 people. Top hazard: Inland floodingVery Low15Franklin County, VA
54,455 people. Top hazard: Inland floodingVery Low16Boone County, IN
70,777 people. Top hazard: Inland floodingLow17Hancock County, IN
79,788 people. Top hazard: Inland floodingLow18Charles County, MD
166,485 people. Top hazard: Inland floodingLow19Chisago County, MN
56,591 people. Top hazard: Inland floodingLow20Frederick County, VA
91,336 people. Top hazard: Inland floodingLow

Safest places by state

Alabama
Lowest risk: Randolph County›Alaska
Lowest risk: Juneau City and Borough›Arizona
Lowest risk: Graham County›Arkansas
Lowest risk: Clark County›California
Lowest risk: Lassen County›Colorado
Lowest risk: Routt County›Connecticut
Lowest risk: Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region›Delaware
Lowest risk: Kent County›Florida
Lowest risk: Baker County›Georgia
Lowest risk: Jones County›Hawaii
Lowest risk: Kauai County›Idaho
Lowest risk: Payette County›Illinois
Lowest risk: Jersey County›Indiana
Lowest risk: Fulton County›Iowa
Lowest risk: Buchanan County›Kansas
Lowest risk: Pottawatomie County›Kentucky
Lowest risk: Grant County›Louisiana
Lowest risk: Grant Parish›Maine
Lowest risk: Sagadahoc County›Maryland
Lowest risk: Garrett County›Massachusetts
Lowest risk: Dukes County›Michigan
Lowest risk: Otsego County›Minnesota
Lowest risk: Dodge County›Mississippi
Lowest risk: Tate County›Missouri
Lowest risk: Adair County›Montana
Lowest risk: Silver Bow County›Nebraska
Lowest risk: Washington County›Nevada
Lowest risk: Churchill County›New Hampshire
Lowest risk: Sullivan County›New Jersey
Lowest risk: Salem County›New Mexico
Lowest risk: Luna County›New York
Lowest risk: Orleans County›North Carolina
Lowest risk: Currituck County›North Dakota
Lowest risk: Stark County›Ohio
Lowest risk: Wyandot County›Oklahoma
Lowest risk: Woodward County›Oregon
Lowest risk: Jefferson County›Pennsylvania
Lowest risk: Clarion County›Rhode Island
Lowest risk: Bristol County›South Carolina
Lowest risk: Edgefield County›South Dakota
Lowest risk: Lawrence County›Tennessee
Lowest risk: Grainger County›Texas
Lowest risk: Lampasas County›Utah
Lowest risk: Uintah County›Vermont
Lowest risk: Lamoille County›Virginia
Lowest risk: Fairfax City›Washington
Lowest risk: Asotin County›West Virginia
Lowest risk: Preston County›Wisconsin
Lowest risk: Kewaunee County›Wyoming
Lowest risk: Uinta County›

Ranked by FEMA's overall risk score (December 2025), which weighs expected yearly losses from 18 natural hazards against social vulnerability and community resilience. State lists cover counties with 20,000 or more people where there are enough of them.