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Beaver County, Utah

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

Very Low overall risk
19th of 29highest risk in Utah
$5Mexpected losses a year
7federal declarations
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, CC0

Beaver County, Utah has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 90% of US counties. It ranks 19th of 29 counties in Utah. The costliest hazards here are earthquakes, inland flooding and avalanches. FEMA estimates about $4.8 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $676 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (4 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2026 (cottonwood fire, flooding and mudslides). No homes here carry federal flood insurance.

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

Top risks in Beaver County

$1.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 65 years.
  • Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
  • Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
$1.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 7 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.

Avalanche

Moderate
$1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 15 years.
  • Check avalanche forecasts before backcountry trips.
  • Ask about slide paths near mountain homes.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
EarthquakeLow74.4
$1M
Inland floodingVery Low8.0
$1M
AvalancheModerate85.5
$1M
WildfireLow85.3
$684K
Winter weatherHigh85.2
$274K
DroughtLow55.9
$210K
LightningLow46.0
$196K
Heat waveVery Low32.0
$147K
LandslideModerate93.1
$85K
Strong windVery Low4.9
$33K
Cold waveVery Low4.9
$15K
Ice stormVery Low8.8
$4K
TornadoVery Low1.7
$2K
HailVery Low1.5
$2K
Volcanic activityVery Low34.2
$3

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 Beaver County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Flood4
Drought1
Coastal Storm1
Fire1

Most recent

Oct 7, 2026Cottonwood Fire, Flooding, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Jun 23, 2026Cottonwood FireFire management
Aug 8, 2011FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Aug 1, 2005Flooding and LandslidesMajor disaster
Apr 30, 1983Severe Storms, Landslides & FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 20, 1977DroughtEmergency

Utah also had 7 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1956

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 89 storm reports in Beaver County since 1956, with 0 deaths and 5 injuries and about $25.8 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F0 tornado on May 3, 1982.

7tornadoes
6hail reports, largest 2 inches
56damaging thunderstorm winds
16floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 3, 1982F0–0 / 0
Mar 29, 1982F0–0 / 0
Sep 7, 1991F0–0 / 0
May 21, 1992F0–0 / 0
Sep 4, 2001F0Milford0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jul 19, 2026Flash FloodBeaver Muni Arpt$26M
Apr 28, 2016HailBeaver$25K
Jul 25, 2016Thunderstorm WindMilford$20K
Aug 17, 2021HailBeaver$20K
Jul 14, 2026Flash FloodBeaver$15K
Jul 31, 2021Thunderstorm WindMinersville$5K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 28, 2026. 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 Beaver County

Check your address flood zone ›
0%of homes have federal flood insurance (0 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$19,705paid on 3 flood claims since 1978
2026costliest year, with $16,258 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 Beaver County

$283,700median home value (Utah $489,400, US $332,700)
1976median year homes were built (Utah 1992, US 1980)
55%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
7%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; 2,969 housing units.

Compare in Utah

All 29 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Salt Lake CountyHighEarthquake
Utah CountyHighEarthquake
Davis CountyModerateEarthquake
Weber CountyModerateEarthquake
Washington CountyModerateWildfire
Cache CountyLowEarthquake
Tooele CountyLowWildfire
Box Elder CountyLowEarthquake

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Iron CountyLow5
Sevier CountyVery Low7
Millard CountyVery Low9
Garfield CountyVery Low5
Lincoln County, NVVery Low6
Piute CountyVery Low7

Common questions about Beaver County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Beaver County?

Earthquake has the highest expected yearly losses in Beaver County, about $1.1 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $1.1 million.

How many federal disasters has Beaver County had?

Beaver County has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 4 major disasters. The most recent was Cottonwood Fire, Flooding, and Mudslides in October 2026.

Is Beaver County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 19th highest of 29 in Utah. 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 Beaver County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.

How many tornadoes has Beaver County had?

NOAA records list 7 tornadoes in Beaver County since 1950. The strongest was an F0 tornado on May 3, 1982. The weather service has also logged 6 hail reports and 16 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.