Anchorage Municipality, AK
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Anchorage Municipality has experienced 7 federally declared disasters since 1996, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Anchorage Municipality's highest-rated hazards are earthquake, landslide, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Anchorage Municipality has been designated in 7 declarations since 1996, covering 4 disaster types including biological (2), earthquake (2), severe storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Earthquake | Earthquake |
| 2019 | Earthquake | Earthquake |
| 2003 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Including High Winds And Freezing Temperatures |
| 2000 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Avalanches |
| 1996 | Flood | Flooding |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 78.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 0.2 | 1 | 0 | $250K |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | 28 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively High | 99.5 | 864 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Insufficient Data | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 0.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 7.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very High | 98.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 22.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 27.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 38.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively High | 98.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very High | 97.1 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Relatively Low | 53.8 | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Relatively Low | 87.3 | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Anchorage Municipality ranks in the 61st percentile (Moderate) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 61st | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 40th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 39th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 83rd | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 82nd | High |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 32nd | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 34th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 37.9% | — |
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Anchorage Municipality?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Anchorage Municipality, Alaska are earthquake, landslide, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Anchorage Municipality received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Anchorage Municipality has received 7 federal disaster declarations since 1996, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is biological (2 declarations).
Has Anchorage Municipality had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Anchorage Municipality since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Anchorage Municipality's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AK has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Chugach Census Area, AK has the lowest (Very Low). Anchorage Municipality is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Anchorage Municipality's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Anchorage Municipality's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Anchorage Municipality's composite score of 97 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 97% of US counties.