Natural disaster risk in Hawaii, by county
All 5 counties in Hawaii, ranked by FEMA's National Risk Index composite risk score, with each one's highest-rated hazard. Other states
At a glance
Highest overall risk: Honolulu County (relatively high, score 98.8). Lowest: Kalawao County (very low, score 0.1).
Top hazards in Hawaii
| Hazard | Counties rated relatively high or very high | Average score |
|---|---|---|
| Lightning | 4 of 5 | 74.4 |
| Inland (riverine) flooding | 3 of 5 | 76.0 |
| Wildfire | 2 of 5 | 80.6 |
| Earthquake | 2 of 5 | 72.4 |
| Volcanic activity | 2 of 5 | 72.0 |
All counties, highest risk first
| # | County | Overall risk | Highest-rated hazard |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Honolulu County | Relatively high 98.8 | Lightning (very high) |
| 2 | Hawaii County | Relatively high 98.5 | Volcanic activity (very high) |
| 3 | Maui County | Relatively moderate 93.1 | Volcanic activity (relatively high) |
| 4 | Kauai County | Relatively moderate 84.4 | Lightning (relatively high) |
| 5 | Kalawao County | Very low 0.1 | Earthquake (very low) |
How to read these ratings
- Ratings run in five steps: very low, relatively low, relatively moderate, relatively high and very high. They compare a county with every other US county; they are not a measure of danger on their own.
- Scores run from 0 to 100 and are national percentiles. The bar shows the score: a score of 80 means a higher value than 80% of US counties.
- Overall risk combines the expected annual loss with social vulnerability and community resilience.
- Expected annual loss is the average yearly loss to buildings, people and agriculture the model expects from all 18 hazards.
- Social vulnerability describes how hard it may be for people to prepare for and recover from a disaster. Higher is worse.
- Community resilience describes a community's ability to prepare, adapt and recover. Higher is better.
- "Not applicable" means FEMA does not model that hazard there (for example, hurricanes far inland).
About this data
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, version 1.20, released December 2025, published by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (US public domain). About the National Risk Index. The index is a model of relative risk built from historical hazard records, what is exposed and community factors. It is not a forecast, it does not describe any single property, and it is not insurance or financial advice. For decisions about a specific address, check FEMA's flood maps and your local emergency management office.
Questions
Which county in Hawaii has the highest natural disaster risk?
Honolulu County has the highest composite risk score in Hawaii in FEMA's National Risk Index: 98.8, rated relatively high.
Which county in Hawaii has the lowest natural disaster risk?
Kalawao County has the lowest composite risk score in Hawaii: 0.1, rated very low. A low score means lower modelled risk compared with other US counties, not no risk.
What natural disasters is Hawaii most at risk from?
Across Hawaii, the hazards rated highest in the most counties are lightning, inland (riverine) flooding, wildfire, according to FEMA's National Risk Index. Each county page lists all 18 hazards.
All states · Weather alerts in Hawaii now · All disaster tools