Natural hazards · Hillsboro

Hillsboro, OR natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Hillsboro comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 11 claims here since 1996. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Hillsboro?

High

vs. U.S. communities

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

Earthquakes68%Inland flooding24%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Hillsboro faces

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

Earthquakes

68% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

24% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 39% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesDroughtAvalanchesTsunamis

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 Hillsboro flood?

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

11paid claims since 1996

$179Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19962026

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Washington County.

Disasters that hit Hillsboro

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into HillsboroDeclared for Washington County only

2020

Wildfires and Straight-Line Winds

2 households applied for aid

2008

Severe Winter Storm, Record and Near Record Snow

$27K to the City of Hillsboro for repairs

2007

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

3 households applied for aid $141 aid approved

Washington County has had 13 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Hillsboro

Hillsboro and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Hillsboromostly earthquakesHigh

Rockcreekmostly earthquakesHigh

Alohamostly earthquakesModerate

Beavertonmostly earthquakesModerate

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. Hillsboro covers 21 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Hillsboro’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Hillsboro. 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 Hillsboro total about $46.8M 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.