Linn County, OR
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Linn County has experienced 21 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Linn County's highest-rated hazards are earthquake, volcanic activity, and inland flooding, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Linn County has been designated in 21 declarations since 1965, covering 5 disaster types including severe storm (9), flood (5), fire (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2021 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020 | Fire | Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2020 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2020 | Fire | Beachie Creek Lionshead Fire Complex |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2016 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Showing the 10 most recent of 21 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 | 58.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 86.3 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 97.5 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 85.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 15.7 | 2 | 0 | $240K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 23 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 86.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 63.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 53.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 33.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 70 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 17 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 79.3 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 38 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Relatively Low | 91.9 | — | — | — |
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
Linn County ranks in the 66th 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 | 66th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 63rd | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 62nd | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 48th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 68th | 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 | 64th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 66th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 43.6% | — |
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 Linn County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Linn County, Oregon are earthquake, volcanic activity, and inland flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Linn County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Linn County has received 21 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (9 declarations).
Has Linn County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Linn County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2026), Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Landslides, And Mudslides (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Linn County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Lane County, OR has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Polk County, OR has the lowest (Relatively Low). Linn County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Linn County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Linn 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. Linn County's composite score of 88 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 88% of US counties.