Kitsap County, WA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Kitsap County has experienced 16 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Kitsap County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, earthquake, and heat wave, 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. Kitsap County has been designated in 16 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including flood (6), severe storm (4), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2006 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Tidal Surge, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2001 | Earthquake | Earthquake |
| 1997 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Land & Muds Slides,Flooding |
| 1997 | Flood | Heavy Rains, Snow Melt, Flooding, Land & Mud Slides |
| 1996 | Flood | High Winds, Severe Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 16 total declarations since 1965.
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 | Very Low | 39.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 79.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 79.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively High | 98.7 | 38 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 89.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 23.7 | 1 | 0 | $1.2M |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 4.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 9.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 59.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 48.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | No Rating | 0 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 54.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively High | 99.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 0.6 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Relatively Low | 61.5 | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 68.4 | — | — | — |
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
Kitsap County ranks in the 33rd percentile (Low) 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 | 33rd | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 20th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 25th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 61st | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 62nd | Moderate |
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 | 17th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 18th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 47.0% | — |
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 Kitsap County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Kitsap County, Washington are landslide, earthquake, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Kitsap County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Kitsap County has received 16 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is flood (6 declarations).
Has Kitsap County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Kitsap County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Kitsap County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, King County, WA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very High) and Jefferson County, WA has the lowest (Relatively Low). Kitsap County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Kitsap County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Kitsap County'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. Kitsap County's composite score of 92 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 92% of US counties.