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Carbon County, Utah

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

Very Low overall risk
21st of 29highest risk in Utah
$5Mexpected losses a year
3federal declarations
1 in 200homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Carbon County, Utah has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 91% of US counties. It ranks 21st of 29 counties in Utah. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, earthquakes and lightning. FEMA estimates about $4.5 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $221 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 3 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (1 major disaster). The most recent was in September 2005 (Hurricane Katrina Evacuation). Only 40 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 Carbon County

$2.8 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.
$622,810 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 165 years.
  • Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
  • Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.

Lightning

Moderate
$540,793 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 52 times a year.
  • Go indoors when you hear thunder.
  • Use surge protectors for electronics.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingVery Low22.8
$3M
EarthquakeLow64.9
$623K
LightningModerate71.3
$541K
WildfireLow66.8
$140K
Heat waveVery Low26.1
$110K
Winter weatherModerate62.7
$103K
TornadoVery Low12.3
$101K
Strong windVery Low6.5
$45K
DroughtVery Low30.9
$29K
LandslideLow80.0
$16K
HailVery Low3.8
$8K
Ice stormVery Low8.1
$4K
AvalancheVery Low64.5
$2K
Volcanic activityVery Low37.5
$5
Cold waveVery Low2.3
$0

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 low 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 Carbon County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Drought1
Flood1
Coastal Storm1

Most recent

Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
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 1985

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 63 storm reports in Carbon County since 1985, with 3 deaths and 2 injuries and about $8.9 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF0 tornado on July 26, 2010 near Carbon Co Arpt.

2tornadoes
24hail reports, largest 2 inches
14damaging thunderstorm winds
19floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jul 26, 2010EF0Carbon Co Arpt0 / 0
Jul 25, 2001F0Price0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Sep 22, 2016Flash FloodEast Carbon City$4M
Aug 4, 2014Flash FloodCarbon Co Arpt$3M
Sep 27, 2014Flash FloodJacobs$1M
Sep 12, 2002Flash FloodSunnyside$500K
Jun 21, 2002Thunderstorm WindPrice$300K
Sep 13, 1996Flash FloodWellington$100K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 9, 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 Carbon County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.5%of homes have federal flood insurance (40 policies)
9.8%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$332,489paid on 9 flood claims since 1978
2021costliest year, with $284,195 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 Carbon County

$228,500median home value (Utah $489,400, US $332,700)
1972median year homes were built (Utah 1992, US 1980)
69%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
10.5%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; 9,669 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
Utah CountyHigh11
Uintah CountyVery Low6
Sanpete CountyVery Low8
Duchesne CountyVery Low6
Emery CountyVery Low4
Grand CountyVery Low2

Common questions about Carbon County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Carbon County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Carbon County, about $2.8 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Earthquake is second at $622,810.

How many federal disasters has Carbon County had?

Carbon County has been included in 3 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 1 major disaster. The most recent was Hurricane Katrina Evacuation in September 2005.

Is Carbon County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 21st 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 Carbon County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 200 homes in Carbon 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 Carbon County had?

NOAA records list 2 tornadoes in Carbon County since 1950. The strongest was an EF0 tornado on July 26, 2010 near Carbon Co Arpt. The weather service has also logged 24 hail reports and 19 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.