Benton County, Washington: hazard risk
FEMA rates Benton County's overall risk Relatively Moderate (score 87.1 of 100, higher than 87% of rated U.S. counties); 2 of its 15 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by winter weather, ice storm. Its storm record holds 304 events since 1950.
FEMA's rating for each hazard
These are FEMA's county-wide model ratings and this county's storm record. They are not an assessment of any property, address or building, and not insurance advice: a property's risk depends on its own elevation, construction and location.
FEMA gives each hazard its own rating, and a rating does not follow the score from one hazard to the next: a hazard with a higher score can carry a lower rating than another. The table sorts by FEMA's rating, then by score (0 to 100, the county against every other county for that hazard).
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 92.0 | $496K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 89.3 | $929K |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | 96.7 | $6.9M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 94.4 | $5.6M |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 93.1 | $9.6M |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 89.7 | $40M |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 82.4 | $4.5M |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 63.0 | $400K |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 77.5 | $13K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 52.3 | $305K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 46.4 | $528K |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 81.1 | $856 |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 33.8 | $148 |
| Drought | Very Low | 28.1 | $20K |
| Tornado | Very Low | 19.6 | $240K |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. A model of future loss, not a count of past events. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
What the record holds
| Hazard | Records | Deaths | Damage | Rank in state | Rank in U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High wind and dust storms | 120 | 2 | $4.0M | 14th of 39 | 665th of 3,080 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 52 | 0 | $70K | 4th of 39 | 2781st of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 35 | 2 | – | 39th of 39 | 2687th of 3,077 |
| Wildfires | 30 | 0 | $70K | 14th of 39 | 174th of 2,972 |
| Hail | 14 | 0 | – | 11th of 39 | 2864th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 14 | 6 | – | 14th of 39 | 1601st of 3,076 |
| Extreme cold | 12 | 0 | – | 6th of 39 | 2065th of 3,076 |
| Floods | 12 | 0 | $702K | 33rd of 39 | 2860th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 5 | 0 | $25K | 11th of 39 | 2748th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 1 | 0 | – | 21st of 39 | 2463rd of 3,063 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 1 | 0 | – | 35th of 39 | 394th of 2,278 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Benton County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.