Safest places to live in Hawaii from natural disasters
The lowest natural-disaster risk in Hawaii is in Kalawao County, Kauai County, Maui County, where FEMA rates few or no severe perils. The most exposed county is Hawaii County, driven by volcanic activity. This page ranks every Hawaii county by physical peril exposure, from official FEMA National Risk Index data.
Lowest-risk counties in Hawaii
| County | Physical risk | Top severe peril |
|---|---|---|
| Kalawao County | Low | none rated high |
| Kauai County | Low | wildfire |
| Maui County | Elevated | tsunami |
| Hawaii County | High | volcanic activity |
| Honolulu County | High | riverine flooding |
Highest-risk counties in Hawaii
| County | Physical risk | Driven by |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii County | High | volcanic activity |
| Honolulu County | High | riverine flooding |
| Maui County | Elevated | tsunami |
| Kauai County | Low | wildfire |
| Kalawao County | Low | none rated high |
Dominant perils in Hawaii
Across Hawaii, the perils most often rated Relatively High or higher by FEMA are volcanic activity, riverine flooding, tsunami. 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 Hawaii address on the Safe Havens map, or read how Plattow scores risk and FEMA flood zones. See all states on the states index.