Safest places to live in Alaska from natural disasters
The lowest natural-disaster risk in Alaska is in Bristol Bay County, Ketchikan Gateway County, Lake and Peninsula County, where FEMA rates few or no severe perils. The most exposed county is Aleutians East County, driven by volcanic activity. This page ranks every Alaska county by physical peril exposure, from official FEMA National Risk Index data.
Lowest-risk counties in Alaska
| County | Physical risk | Top severe peril |
|---|---|---|
| Bristol Bay County | Low | none rated high |
| Ketchikan Gateway County | Low | none rated high |
| Lake and Peninsula County | Low | none rated high |
| North Slope County | Low | none rated high |
| Wrangell County | Low | none rated high |
| Bethel County | Low | none rated high |
| Kusilvak County | Low | none rated high |
| Nome County | Low | none rated high |
Highest-risk counties in Alaska
| County | Physical risk | Driven by |
|---|---|---|
| Aleutians East County | Elevated | volcanic activity |
| Aleutians West County | Elevated | volcanic activity |
| Anchorage County | Elevated | earthquake |
| Fairbanks North Star County | Elevated | landslide |
| Kenai Peninsula County | Elevated | earthquake |
Dominant perils in Alaska
Across Alaska, the perils most often rated Relatively High or higher by FEMA are earthquake, landslide, volcanic activity. County rankings reflect physical exposure, not dollar value, so a county can rank low here even if it is densely developed. For a specific property, the flood zone and exact peril ratings matter more than the county summary.
Look up any Alaska address on the Safe Havens map, or read how Plattow scores risk and FEMA flood zones. See all states on the states index.