Natural disaster risk in Nevada, by county
All 17 counties in Nevada, 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: Clark County (very high, score 99.6). Lowest: Esmeralda County (very low, score 2.1).
Top hazards in Nevada
| Hazard | Counties rated relatively high or very high | Average score |
|---|---|---|
| Winter weather | 6 of 17 | 59.9 |
| Wildfire | 4 of 17 | 85.2 |
| Lightning | 3 of 17 | 34.8 |
| Earthquake | 2 of 17 | 80.5 |
| Heat wave | 2 of 17 | 44.3 |
All counties, highest risk first
| # | County | Overall risk | Highest-rated hazard |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clark County | Very high 99.6 | Heat wave (very high) |
| 2 | Washoe County | Relatively high 96.7 | Winter weather (very high) |
| 3 | Elko County | Relatively moderate 87.9 | Wildfire (relatively high) |
| 4 | Douglas County | Relatively moderate 84.4 | Wildfire (relatively high) |
| 5 | Nye County | Relatively low 78.3 | Heat wave (relatively high) |
| 6 | Carson City | Relatively low 76.1 | Winter weather (relatively high) |
| 7 | Lyon County | Relatively low 71.4 | Winter weather (relatively high) |
| 8 | Churchill County | Relatively low 47.3 | Earthquake (relatively moderate) |
| 9 | Humboldt County | Very low 40.8 | Wildfire (relatively moderate) |
| 10 | Lincoln County | Very low 25.9 | Wildfire (relatively moderate) |
| 11 | Storey County | Very low 25.2 | Wildfire (relatively moderate) |
| 12 | Lander County | Very low 17 | Wildfire (relatively moderate) |
| 13 | White Pine County | Very low 12.5 | Winter weather (relatively high) |
| 14 | Mineral County | Very low 9.8 | Earthquake (relatively low) |
| 15 | Pershing County | Very low 6 | Drought (relatively moderate) |
| 16 | Eureka County | Very low 5.2 | Wildfire (relatively moderate) |
| 17 | Esmeralda County | Very low 2.1 | Drought (relatively moderate) |
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 Nevada has the highest natural disaster risk?
Clark County has the highest composite risk score in Nevada in FEMA's National Risk Index: 99.6, rated very high.
Which county in Nevada has the lowest natural disaster risk?
Esmeralda County has the lowest composite risk score in Nevada: 2.1, rated very low. A low score means lower modelled risk compared with other US counties, not no risk.
What natural disasters is Nevada most at risk from?
Across Nevada, the hazards rated highest in the most counties are winter weather, wildfire, lightning, according to FEMA's National Risk Index. Each county page lists all 18 hazards.
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