Safest places to live in Oregon from natural disasters
The lowest natural-disaster risk in Oregon is in Gilliam County, Wheeler County, Baker County, where FEMA rates few or no severe perils. The most exposed county is Clatsop County, driven by tsunami. This page ranks every Oregon county by physical peril exposure, from official FEMA National Risk Index data.
Lowest-risk counties in Oregon
| County | Physical risk | Top severe peril |
|---|---|---|
| Gilliam County | Low | none rated high |
| Wheeler County | Low | none rated high |
| Baker County | Low | wildfire |
| Benton County | Low | earthquake |
| Columbia County | Low | earthquake |
| Crook County | Low | wildfire |
| Grant County | Low | wildfire |
| Harney County | Low | wildfire |
Highest-risk counties in Oregon
| County | Physical risk | Driven by |
|---|---|---|
| Clatsop County | High | tsunami |
| Clackamas County | Elevated | earthquake |
| Coos County | Elevated | earthquake |
| Curry County | Elevated | tsunami |
| Deschutes County | Elevated | wildfire |
Dominant perils in Oregon
Across Oregon, the perils most often rated Relatively High or higher by FEMA are earthquake, wildfire, 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 Oregon address on the Safe Havens map, or read how Plattow scores risk and FEMA flood zones. See all states on the states index.