Jefferson County, Washington
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Jefferson County, Washington has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 64% of US counties. It ranks 26th of 39 counties in Washington. The costliest hazards here are earthquakes, inland flooding and coastal flooding. FEMA estimates about $17 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $516 per resident. Since 1979 it has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (25 major disasters). The most recent was in April 2026 (severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides and mudslides). About 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (193 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $623,000 on 53 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Jefferson 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.
- Learn your evacuation zone; it is set by surge risk, not by distance from the beach.
- Ask about flood insurance even outside a mapped high-risk zone.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earthquake | 95.0 | $10M | ||
| Inland flooding | 53.7 | $5M | ||
| Coastal flooding | 64.4 | $515K | ||
| Tsunami | 40.0 | $287K | ||
| Cold wave | 24.4 | $220K | ||
| Ice storm | 73.5 | $189K | ||
| Winter weather | 81.9 | $162K | ||
| Heat wave | 34.8 | $124K | ||
| Landslide | 96.0 | $123K | ||
| Tornado | 9.5 | $41K | ||
| Lightning | 6.2 | $14K | ||
| Wildfire | 23.5 | $7K | ||
| Strong wind | 2.0 | $6K | ||
| Hail | 1.6 | $1K | ||
| Avalanche | 58.2 | $888 | ||
| Drought | 12.5 | $2 | ||
| Volcanic activity | 11.4 | $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 very high 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 Jefferson County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 27
Washington also had 51 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1999
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 16 storm reports in Jefferson County since 1999, with 1 death and 0 injuries and about $11.5 million in reported damage. No tornadoes are on record here.
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 4, 2006 | Heavy Rain | Hoh | $6M |
| Dec 2, 2007 | Heavy Rain | Brinnon | $3M |
| Oct 20, 2003 | Heavy Rain | Countywide | $800K |
| Jan 5, 2006 | Heavy Rain | Countywide | $700K |
| Jan 12, 2021 | Flood | Hoh | $554K |
| Dec 10, 2014 | Flood | Brinnon | $300K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Feb 24, 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 Jefferson 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 Jefferson 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; 19,534 housing units.
Compare in Washington
All 39 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| King County | Earthquake | |
| Pierce County | Earthquake | |
| Snohomish County | Earthquake | |
| Spokane County | Inland flooding | |
| Clark County | Inland flooding | |
| Thurston County | Earthquake | |
| Kitsap County | Earthquake | |
| Yakima County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Kitsap County | 14 | |
| Island County | 20 | |
| Clallam County | 27 | |
| Grays Harbor County | 32 | |
| Mason County | 30 | |
| San Juan County | 10 |
Common questions about Jefferson County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Jefferson County?
Earthquake has the highest expected yearly losses in Jefferson County, about $10.1 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $5.2 million.
How many federal disasters has Jefferson County had?
Jefferson County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1979, including 25 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides in April 2026.
Is Jefferson County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 26th highest of 39 in Washington. 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 Jefferson County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 100 homes in Jefferson 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 Jefferson County had?
NOAA records list 0 tornadoes in Jefferson County since 1950. The weather service has also logged 0 hail reports and 4 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.