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Natural hazard risk in Marion County, Oregon

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on FEMA, NOAA and OpenFEMA data. Published by Humblebee.

FEMA overall Risk Index rating: Relatively High (score 95.5 of 100)[5]

Expected annual loss (FEMA)
$171.1 million[1]
Federal disaster declarations since 1964
13[2]
NFIP flood claims paid, 1978 to 2026
$6.0 million[3]
Tornadoes recorded, 1950 to 2024
11[4]

FEMA's National Risk Index rates overall natural hazard risk in Marion County, Oregon as Relatively High, with a score of 95.5 out of 100[5]. The hazards with the highest FEMA scores in the county are earthquake, heat wave and volcanic activity[6].

FEMA risk ratings for each hazard

Ratings and expected losses from the FEMA National Risk Index. Each rating compares this county with all US counties for that hazard, from Very Low to Very High. They are planning estimates, not predictions, and they do not describe any single property.

FEMA estimates Expected Annual Loss from all 18 natural hazards at $171.1 million a year[1]. This is an estimate of average yearly loss, not money anyone paid[7]. The largest hazard-type values are earthquake ($122.2 million a year), inland flooding ($37.5 million a year), heat wave ($6.6 million a year)[8]. FEMA rates earthquake risk Relatively High compared with other US counties[9]. FEMA rates Social Vulnerability Relatively Moderate[10]. It rates Community Resilience Relatively Moderate[11]. FEMA rates coastal flooding, hurricane and tsunami Not Applicable for this county[12].

Hazards sorted by FEMA hazard-type Risk Index score, highest first
HazardFEMA risk ratingExpected annual loss
EarthquakeRelatively High$122.2 million[9]
Heat WaveRelatively Moderate$6.6 million[13]
Volcanic ActivityRelatively Moderate$84,000[14]
Inland FloodingRelatively Moderate$37.5 million[15]
Strong WindRelatively High$1.9 million[16]
LightningRelatively High$986,000[17]
LandslideRelatively Low$23,000[18]
Winter WeatherRelatively Moderate$180,000[19]
Ice StormRelatively Moderate$245,000[20]
WildfireVery Low$75,000[21]
Cold WaveRelatively Low$932,000[22]
HailRelatively Low$172,000[23]
AvalancheVery Low$122[24]
TornadoVery Low$268,000[25]
DroughtVery Low$1,122[26]

Rated Not Applicable by FEMA for this county: coastal flooding, hurricane, tsunami[12].

Social vulnerability and community resilience

FEMA uses these two ratings to scale expected losses into the Risk Index.

FEMA measureRatingScore
Social vulnerabilityRelatively Moderate50.9[10]
Community resilienceRelatively Moderate41.6[11]

Flooding and flood insurance

FEMA rates inland flooding risk Relatively Moderate for Marion County compared with other US counties[15]. OpenFEMA lists 1,169 residential flood insurance contracts in force as of 2026-08-03, out of 91,193 residential structures[27]. Inside FEMA's mapped Special Flood Hazard Area, 29.4% of homes are insured[27]. HazardFacts counted 400 NFIP claims for losses from 1978 to 2026, and NFIP paid $6.0 million in total[3]. To learn the flood zone of an address, use FEMA's Flood Map Service Center[28].

Measure Value
Inland Flooding, FEMA risk rating[15] Relatively Moderate, $37.5 million expected loss a year
NFIP residential flood policies in force (2026)[27] 1,169 of 91,193 homes
Homes in FEMA's mapped high-risk flood area (SFHA)[27] 2,669, of which 786 insured
NFIP flood claims, 1978 to 2026[3] 400 filed, $6.0 million paid

Is a specific address in a flood zone? Only FEMA's flood maps answer that, property by property[28]. This page describes the whole county.

Search an address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center

Disaster declarations and tornado records

OpenFEMA lists 13 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Marion County since 1964[2]. The most recent is FM-5483-OR, the Liberty Fire, declared 2023-08-24[29]. NOAA's tornado database records 11 tornadoes touching the county from 1950 to 2024[4]. The strongest were rated EF2, and none were rated F3/EF3 or stronger[4].

Federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Marion County, since 1964
Incident type Declarations
Flood[2] 4
Fire[2] 4
Severe Storm[2] 3
Coastal Storm[2] 1
Earthquake[2] 1
Most recent declarations
Declaration Incident Declared
FM-5483-OR[29] Liberty Fire 2023-08-24
DR-4599-OR[29] Severe Winter Storm 2021-05-04
DR-4562-OR[29] Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds 2020-09-15
EM-3542-OR[29] Wildfires 2020-09-10
FM-5356-OR[29] Beachie Creek Lionshead Fire Complex 2020-09-08

How to prepare

Steps from Ready.gov, FEMA's preparedness site, for the hazards with the highest FEMA ratings here. Follow instructions from local officials and the National Weather Service when a warning is issued.

Earthquakes

Before

  • Practice Drop, Cover, and Hold On with your family and coworkers.
  • Sign up for earthquake alerts that can warn you before shaking starts.
  • Make a plan with an out-of-state contact and a place to meet if you get separated.
  • Anchor heavy items such as bookcases, refrigerators and water heaters, and keep heavy things on low shelves.
  • Consider earthquake insurance. Standard homeowners policies do not cover earthquake damage.

During

  • Drop to your hands and knees, cover your head and neck, and hold on until the shaking stops.
  • Indoors, stay where you are and avoid doorways. Outdoors, move to an open area away from buildings and power lines.
  • If you are driving, pull over, stop and set the parking brake.

Source: Ready.gov, earthquakes

Extreme heat

Before

  • Learn the signs of heat illness and how to respond.
  • Do not rely on a fan as your main way to stay cool. Fans do not lower body temperature.
  • Find cool public places, such as libraries or malls, or ask your local health department.
  • Keep heat out with window shades, weather stripping and insulation.
  • If you cannot afford cooling costs, contact LIHEAP for help.

During

  • Never leave a person or an animal in a parked car in warm weather.
  • If your home has no air conditioning, go to a cooling center.
  • Wear light, loose clothing, drink plenty of fluids and avoid hard outdoor work in the middle of the day.

Source: Ready.gov, extreme heat

Floods

Before

  • Check your flood risk with FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, and remember that floods do not follow map lines.
  • Sign up for your community's warning system. NOAA Weather Radio also broadcasts alerts.
  • Buy flood insurance through the NFIP well before a disaster. Homeowners policies do not cover flooding, and a new policy typically takes up to 30 days to go into effect.
  • Make a household plan with evacuation routes, shelter locations and what to do in a flash flood.
  • Keep important documents in a waterproof container and make password-protected digital copies.

During

  • If you are told to evacuate, leave right away and never drive around barricades.
  • Do not walk, swim or drive through floodwater. Six inches of moving water can knock you down.
  • If you are trapped in a building, go to the highest level, but do not climb into a closed attic.

Source: Ready.gov, floods

Questions people ask

Is Marion County, Oregon at risk of earthquakes?
FEMA rates earthquake risk Relatively High for Marion County compared with other US counties[9]. FEMA estimates earthquake Expected Annual Loss at $122.2 million a year[9].
Is Marion County at risk of flooding?
FEMA rates inland flooding risk Relatively Moderate for the county compared with other US counties[15]. FEMA rates coastal flooding Not Applicable here[12].
Is Marion County at risk of tornadoes?
FEMA rates tornado risk Very Low compared with other US counties[25]. NOAA's tornado database records 11 tornadoes touching the county from 1950 to 2024[4].
How many disasters have been declared in Marion County?
OpenFEMA lists 13 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include the county since 1964[2].
How do I check the flood zone of an address in Marion County?
Look up the address in FEMA's Flood Map Service Center or ask the local floodplain manager[28].

Facts and sources

  1. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Expected Annual Loss from all 18 natural hazards in Marion County is $171.1 million a year (Expected Annual Loss rating Relatively Moderate, score 94.9). Of this, buildings account for $107.4 million, injuries and deaths (converted to dollars by FEMA) for... FEMA National Risk Index
  2. OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries list 13 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Marion County since 1964 (9 major disaster, 4 emergency or fire management). By incident type: flood 4, fire 4, severe storm 3, coastal storm 1, earthquake 1. Biological (such as COVID-19) and other... OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations
  3. HazardFacts tally of OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims (losses from 1978 to 2026): 400 National Flood Insurance Program claims were filed for losses in Marion County, 310 of them with a payment, and NFIP paid $6.0 million in total (building, contents and increased cost of compliance, in dollars of the year paid). Years... OpenFEMA NFIP claims
  4. NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950 to 2024): 11 recorded tornadoes touched Marion County. The strongest were rated EF2 (most recent of them on 2010-12-14). 0 were rated F3/EF3 or stronger. The most recent recorded tornado was on 2022-10-24. Ratings used the Fujita scale until early 2007 and the... NOAA Storm Prediction Center
  5. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): the overall natural hazard Risk Index rating for Marion County is Relatively High, with a Risk Index score of 95.5 out of 100. The score is the county's percentile rank among all US counties. FEMA National Risk Index
  6. Among the 18 hazards in the FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), the hazards with the highest hazard-type Risk Index scores for Marion County are earthquake (99.0, Relatively High), heat wave (95.8, Relatively Moderate), volcanic activity (92.8, Relatively Moderate). HazardFacts sorted FEMA's... FEMA National Risk Index
  7. FEMA's National Risk Index FAQ (December 2025): Expected Annual Loss is FEMA's estimate of the average economic loss in dollars from natural hazards each year. The index is not meant to predict how much damage a community will have in the next year, and a hazard can still cause damage where a rating is low. Scores... FEMA National Risk Index documentation
  8. HazardFacts sorted FEMA's hazard-type Expected Annual Loss values for Marion County (National Risk Index v1.20): the largest are earthquake ($122.2 million a year), inland flooding ($37.5 million a year), heat wave ($6.6 million a year), out of $171.1 million a year from all 18 hazards. FEMA National Risk Index
  9. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), earthquake in Marion County: Risk Index rating Relatively High (score 99.0 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $122.2 million a year (rating Relatively High). FEMA's modeled annual frequency is 0.0194 events per year. FEMA National Risk Index
  10. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Social Vulnerability rating for Marion County is Relatively Moderate (score 50.9). FEMA describes social vulnerability as how susceptible social groups are to the harm natural hazards cause. FEMA National Risk Index
  11. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Community Resilience rating for Marion County is Relatively Moderate (score 41.6). FEMA describes community resilience as a community's ability to prepare for, withstand and recover from hazards. FEMA National Risk Index
  12. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025) rates these hazards Not Applicable for Marion County: coastal flooding, hurricane, tsunami. FEMA uses Not Applicable when its source data has no historical record of the hazard in the community and the hazard is not considered geographically possible there. FEMA National Risk Index documentation
  13. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), heat wave in Marion County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 95.8 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $6.6 million a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 5.62 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18... FEMA National Risk Index
  14. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), volcanic activity in Marion County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 92.8 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $84,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). FEMA National Risk Index
  15. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), inland flooding in Marion County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 90.5 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $37.5 million a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 0.71 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of... FEMA National Risk Index
  16. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), strong wind in Marion County: Risk Index rating Relatively High (score 89.9 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $1.9 million a year (rating Relatively High). Annualized frequency 0.06 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 38 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  17. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), lightning in Marion County: Risk Index rating Relatively High (score 88.1 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $986,000 a year (rating Relatively High). Annualized frequency 7.27 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 24 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  18. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), landslide in Marion County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 83.5 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $23,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). FEMA National Risk Index
  19. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), winter weather in Marion County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 78.9 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $180,000 a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 18.44 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18... FEMA National Risk Index
  20. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), ice storm in Marion County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 73.5 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $245,000 a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 0.64 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 68 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  21. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), wildfire in Marion County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 59.8 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $75,000 a year (rating Very Low). FEMA's modeled annual frequency is 0.0001 events per year. FEMA National Risk Index
  22. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), cold wave in Marion County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 51.9 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $932,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 0.24 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  23. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), hail in Marion County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 41.6 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $172,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 0.13 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 37 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  24. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), avalanche in Marion County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 33.0 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $122 a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 0.01 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 28 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  25. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), tornado in Marion County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 22.4 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $268,000 a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 0.1 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 38 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  26. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), drought in Marion County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 16.2 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $1,122 a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 5.77 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 22 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  27. NFIP Residential Penetration Rates (OpenFEMA, as of 2026-08-03): 1,169 residential flood insurance contracts were in force in Marion County, out of 91,193 residential structures, a penetration rate of 1.3%. Inside FEMA's mapped Special Flood Hazard Area there were 2,669 residential structures and 786 contracts, a... OpenFEMA NFIP penetration rates
  28. FEMA's Flood Map Service Center is the official public source for flood maps (Flood Insurance Rate Maps) produced under the National Flood Insurance Program. Flood zones apply to specific properties: look up an address there or ask the local floodplain manager. County-level ratings do not tell you the flood zone of... FEMA Flood Map Service Center
  29. Most recent federal disaster declarations for natural hazards (table on this page). OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations

FEMA's National Risk Index compares each county with all other US counties. Ratings are relative (Very Low to Very High), not a measure of safety. Never call a place safe, unsafe, good or bad to live in. Risk Index and Expected Annual Loss values are FEMA estimates for planning. They do not predict next year's losses and do not apply to a single property. Flood zones are set by FEMA flood maps for specific properties. County ratings and flood insurance counts do not tell anyone whether an address is in a flood zone. Disaster declaration, NFIP and tornado counts are records of the past for this county only. Do not compare with other counties unless a fact does.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Risk Index Dataset: National Risk Index Counties, v1.20 (December 2025). Retrieved from fema.maps.arcgis.com on October 30, 2026. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Risk Index dataset API or downloadable datasets but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s). This product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA.