Natural disaster risk by state
Compare natural hazard exposure across states using population-weighted means of FEMA county risk scores. Statewide averages cannot establish the safety of a particular home.
Every state ranked
Choose a state to find a county in its full available FEMA score table, including smaller counties beyond the largest 25. You can search by name and sort county scores; a county comparison still cannot establish an individual property's safety.
| State | County-score mean | Model band | Expected loss / resident | People in high-risk counties | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vermont | 47.8 | Midrange county-score mean | $344/yr | 0% | Landslide |
| Wyoming | 53.4 | Midrange county-score mean | $598/yr | 0% | Wildfire |
| North Dakota | 55.7 | Midrange county-score mean | $726/yr | 0% | Winter weather |
| South Dakota | 56.6 | Midrange county-score mean | $868/yr | 0% | Winter weather |
| Virginia | 62.6 | High county-score mean | $230/yr | 13% | Hurricane |
| Iowa | 62.8 | High county-score mean | $575/yr | 0% | Drought |
| West Virginia | 64.4 | High county-score mean | $558/yr | 10% | Landslide |
| Idaho | 65.7 | High county-score mean | $418/yr | 0% | Wildfire |
| Montana | 67.1 | High county-score mean | $732/yr | 0% | Winter weather |
| Maine | 67.8 | High county-score mean | $305/yr | 0% | Ice storm |
| Kentucky | 68.0 | High county-score mean | $525/yr | 17% | Strong wind |
| Nebraska | 70.1 | High county-score mean | $682/yr | 30% | Hail |
| Mississippi | 71.1 | High county-score mean | $555/yr | 7% | Tornado |
| Kansas | 71.3 | High county-score mean | $607/yr | 39% | Ice storm |
| Indiana | 72.5 | High county-score mean | $350/yr | 22% | Tornado |
| Georgia | 73.6 | High county-score mean | $313/yr | 29% | Tornado |
| Arkansas | 76.4 | High county-score mean | $588/yr | 13% | Ice storm |
| Minnesota | 76.7 | High county-score mean | $453/yr | 32% | Hail |
| Tennessee | 77.8 | High county-score mean | $435/yr | 24% | Earthquake |
| Rhode Island | 78.5 | High county-score mean | $198/yr | 0% | Hurricane |
| Wisconsin | 78.6 | High county-score mean | $440/yr | 16% | Cold wave |
| Alaska | 78.7 | High county-score mean | $1,286/yr | 40% | Landslide |
| New Hampshire | 78.8 | High county-score mean | $336/yr | 0% | Ice storm |
| Ohio | 79.0 | High county-score mean | $259/yr | 29% | Riverine flooding |
| Missouri | 80.1 | Very high county-score mean | $641/yr | 33% | Heat wave |
| Maryland | 80.9 | Very high county-score mean | $172/yr | 10% | Winter weather |
| Michigan | 82.1 | Very high county-score mean | $283/yr | 39% | Strong wind |
| Oklahoma | 82.3 | Very high county-score mean | $537/yr | 37% | Ice storm |
| Alabama | 82.7 | Very high county-score mean | $500/yr | 34% | Tornado |
| North Carolina | 83.6 | Very high county-score mean | $425/yr | 27% | Ice storm |
| New Mexico | 84.2 | Very high county-score mean | $460/yr | 42% | Wildfire |
| Utah | 84.9 | Very high county-score mean | $483/yr | 56% | Wildfire |
| Colorado | 85.0 | Very high county-score mean | $375/yr | 23% | Lightning |
| Louisiana | 86.2 | Very high county-score mean | $720/yr | 46% | Hurricane |
| South Carolina | 87.1 | Very high county-score mean | $584/yr | 23% | Ice storm |
| Pennsylvania | 87.4 | Very high county-score mean | $313/yr | 38% | Riverine flooding |
| Oregon | 89.9 | Very high county-score mean | $598/yr | 62% | Earthquake |
| Illinois | 90.4 | Very high county-score mean | $501/yr | 66% | Cold wave |
| Texas | 91.0 | Very high county-score mean | $424/yr | 67% | Heat wave |
| New York | 91.5 | Very high county-score mean | $212/yr | 65% | Riverine flooding |
| Massachusetts | 92.3 | Very high county-score mean | $210/yr | 35% | Riverine flooding |
| Washington | 92.8 | Very high county-score mean | $613/yr | 57% | Earthquake |
| Connecticut | 93.0 | Very high county-score mean | $337/yr | 60% | Riverine flooding |
| Delaware | 93.0 | Very high county-score mean | $381/yr | 58% | Winter weather |
| New Jersey | 94.4 | Very high county-score mean | $346/yr | 67% | Strong wind |
| Florida | 95.3 | Very high county-score mean | $409/yr | 79% | Hurricane |
| Nevada | 95.6 | Very high county-score mean | $443/yr | 89% | Wildfire |
| Hawaii | 97.4 | Very high county-score mean | $741/yr | 84% | Riverine flooding |
| Washington, DC | 97.6 | Very high county-score mean | $425/yr | 100% | Heat wave |
| Arizona | 97.7 | Very high county-score mean | $504/yr | 79% | Riverine flooding |
| California | 98.8 | Very high county-score mean | $765/yr | 94% | Earthquake |
Score = RelocateMath's population-weighted mean of FEMA county National Risk Index scores (0–100 county percentiles). This mean is not a state percentile; model bands describe numeric ranges of county-score means, not FEMA state ratings. "High-risk counties" are rated Relatively High or Very High by FEMA. Expected loss is a modeled annual loss per resident, not an insurance premium or a forecast for a specific home. Median homeowners insurance (Census ACS) is on each state page.
Frequently asked questions
Which states have the lowest modeled natural hazard risk scores?
Vermont, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Virginia have the lowest population-weighted county-score means in our comparison. This is RelocateMath's state aggregation of FEMA county data, not an official FEMA state ranking or a promise that a particular property is safe.
Which states have the highest modeled natural hazard risk scores?
California, Arizona, Washington, DC, Hawaii, Nevada have the highest population-weighted county-score means in our comparison.
How is natural disaster risk measured?
FEMA's National Risk Index (v1.20, December 2025) combines expected annual losses from 18 hazards with social vulnerability and community resilience. FEMA county scores are national county percentiles on a 0–100 scale. We compute population-weighted means of these scores for each state; the means are not themselves national state percentiles or FEMA state ratings.