Home › Utah › Cache County

Cache County, Utah

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

Relatively Low overall risk
6th of 29highest risk in Utah
$39Mexpected losses a year
5federal declarations
1 in 500homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, CC0

Cache County, Utah has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 66% of US counties. It ranks 6th of 29 counties in Utah. The costliest hazards here are earthquakes, inland flooding and avalanches. FEMA estimates about $39 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $292 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 5 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (3 major disasters). The most recent was in April 2017 (severe winter storms and flooding). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (83 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $132,000 on 42 claims here.

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

Top risks in Cache County

Earthquake

Moderate
$19.4 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 80 years.
  • Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
  • Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
$8.8 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 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.
$3.6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 years.
  • Check avalanche forecasts before backcountry trips.
  • Ask about slide paths near mountain homes.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
EarthquakeModerate94.6
$19M
Inland floodingLow45.8
$9M
AvalancheHigh93.1
$4M
Cold waveLow53.6
$2M
LightningHigh85.1
$1M
WildfireLow85.3
$1M
Winter weatherHigh93.3
$836K
Heat waveLow56.2
$749K
TornadoVery Low21.2
$394K
DroughtLow58.0
$375K
Strong windLow24.3
$346K
HailVery Low16.1
$84K
LandslideLow84.5
$43K
Ice stormVery Low21.1
$27K

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 very low and community resilience is relatively high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Flood3
Drought1
Coastal Storm1

Most recent

Apr 21, 2017Severe Winter Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 8, 2011FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Mar 13, 1986Heavy Rains, Snowmelt & FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 20, 1977DroughtEmergency

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

Storm history since 1969

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 123 storm reports in Cache County since 1969 and about $5.7 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F1 tornado on September 17, 1989.

5tornadoes
19hail reports, largest 1.75 inches
80damaging thunderstorm winds
16floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Sep 17, 1989F1–0 / 0
May 29, 1987F1–0 / 0
May 6, 1981F1–0 / 0
Apr 11, 2026EF1Richmond0 / 0
Aug 25, 1987F0–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Feb 7, 2017FloodAvon$4M
May 13, 2011FloodNibley$500K
Jun 15, 2011FloodProvidence$200K
Apr 28, 2001Thunderstorm WindTrenton$105K
Jun 23, 2011FloodRiver Hgts$100K
Jun 25, 2011FloodProvidence$100K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 27, 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 Cache County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (83 policies)
5.8%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$131,577paid on 42 flood claims since 1978
2005costliest year, with $49,500 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 Cache County

$444,400median home value (Utah $489,400, US $332,700)
1992median year homes were built (Utah 1992, US 1980)
38%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
1.9%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; 46,665 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
Weber CountyModerate9
Box Elder CountyLow7
Franklin County, IDVery Low2
Bear Lake County, IDVery Low2
Oneida County, IDVery Low1
Rich CountyVery Low3

Cities in Cache County

Common questions about Cache County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Cache County?

Earthquake has the highest expected yearly losses in Cache County, about $19.4 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $8.8 million.

How many federal disasters has Cache County had?

Cache County has been included in 5 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 3 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storms and Flooding in April 2017.

Is Cache County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 6th 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 Cache County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 500 homes in Cache 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 Cache County had?

NOAA records list 5 tornadoes in Cache County since 1950. The strongest was an F1 tornado on September 17, 1989. The weather service has also logged 19 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.