Natural hazards · Elko

Elko, NV natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Elko comes from wildfires, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 14 claims here since 1984. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Elko?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Elko to be higher than in 94% of U.S. communities, mostly from wildfires and inland flooding.

Wildfire72%Inland flooding17%Earthquakes7%Everything else4%

By hazard

What Elko faces

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

Wildfire

72% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

17% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 26% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 79% of U.S. places

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce stormsDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Elko flood?

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

14paid claims since 1984

$129Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19842026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Elko County.

Disasters that hit Elko

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ElkoDeclared for Elko County only

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$92K to the City of Elko for repairs

2005

Snow

$30K to the City of Elko for repairs

2004

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$19K to the City of Elko for repairs

Elko County has had 17 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and severe storms.

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. Elko covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Elko’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Elko. 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 Elko total about $9.9M 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.