Natural hazards · Libby

Libby, MT natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Libby comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 7 claims here since 1996. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Libby?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Libby to be higher than in 63% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding71%Cold waves15%Earthquakes9%Everything else5%

By hazard

What Libby faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

71% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Cold waves

15% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 78% of U.S. places

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Libby flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Libby, from FEMA’s records.

7paid claims since 1996

$95Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19962026

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Libby isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Lincoln County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

3flood-prone homes bought out and moved

1flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

1homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Libby

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Libby itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the City of Libby.

Brought FEMA money into LibbyDeclared for Lincoln County only

2025

Severe Storms and Flooding

$183K to the City of Libby for repairs

Lincoln County has had 10 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and fires.

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Libby covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Libby’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Libby. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Libby total about $1.3M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.