Oregon heat wave risk
Multnomah County has the highest heat wave risk in Oregon, scoring 96.8 out of 100 — rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded heat wave events across Oregon have increased 189% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
| # | County | NRI score | Rating |
NOAA events 2016–2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Multnomah County | 96.8 | Relatively High | 1 |
| 2 | Washington County | 96.6 | Relatively High | 1 |
| 3 | Marion County | 95.9 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 4 | Clackamas County | 95.5 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 5 | Jackson County | 94.9 | Relatively Moderate | 13 |
| 6 | Lane County | 93.8 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 7 | Columbia County | 90.5 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 8 | Josephine County | 89.4 | Relatively Moderate | 13 |
| 9 | Yamhill County | 88.3 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 10 | Douglas County | 87.5 | Relatively Moderate | 9 |
| 11 | Polk County | 87.4 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 12 | Umatilla County | 86.6 | Relatively Moderate | 7 |
| 13 | Linn County | 85.8 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 14 | Benton County | 80.5 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 15 | Klamath County | 69.9 | Relatively Low | 5 |
| 16 | Malheur County | 59.4 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 17 | Deschutes County | 54.1 | Relatively Low | 3 |
| 18 | Morrow County | 50.3 | Relatively Low | 3 |
| 19 | Coos County | 50.2 | Relatively Low | 2 |
| 20 | Union County | 46.1 | Relatively Low | 4 |
| 21 | Hood River County | 45.7 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 22 | Wasco County | 42.6 | Relatively Low | 6 |
| 23 | Clatsop County | 42.1 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 24 | Curry County | 40.8 | Relatively Low | 13 |
| 25 | Baker County | 40.3 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 26 | Lincoln County | 38.1 | Very Low | 0 |
| 27 | Tillamook County | 32.6 | Very Low | 0 |
| 28 | Grant County | 29.4 | Very Low | 4 |
| 29 | Harney County | 25 | Very Low | 0 |
| 30 | Lake County | 24.3 | Very Low | 3 |
| 31 | Wallowa County | 22.8 | Very Low | 5 |
| 32 | Crook County | 22.5 | Very Low | 3 |
| 33 | Jefferson County | 21.9 | Very Low | 4 |
| 34 | Gilliam County | 12.9 | Very Low | 3 |
| 35 | Sherman County | 7.7 | Very Low | 6 |
| 36 | Wheeler County | 6.7 | Very Low | 1 |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20.0, December 2025. Scores are 0–100 percentile rankings among all US counties. See the methodology page for definitions. Download the full CSV for all counties.
Heat Wave risk nationally:
Other hazard risks in Oregon:
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest heat wave risk county in Oregon?
Multnomah County, OR has the highest heat wave risk in Oregon, with a FEMA National Risk Index score of 96.8 out of 100 (rated "Relatively High").
What causes heat wave risk in Oregon?
Heat is consistently the leading cause of weather-related mortality in the US, yet it remains underrepresented in federal disaster declarations relative to its actual impact. High scores reflect a combination of extreme temperature exposure, population vulnerability (elderly, outdoor workers), and limited access to cooling infrastructure.