Natural hazards · Medford

Medford, OR natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Medford comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 15 claims here since 1981. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Medford?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Medford to be higher than in 52% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes54%Inland flooding38%Heat waves6%Everything else2%

By hazard

What Medford faces

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

Earthquakes

54% of expected damage

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

Inland flooding

38% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 49% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Heat waves

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 82% of U.S. places

Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesCold wavesAvalanchesTsunamis

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 Medford flood?

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

15paid claims since 1981

$122Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19812026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 25% off flood insurance. Medford is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 5) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Jackson County.

Disasters that hit Medford

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MedfordDeclared for Jackson County only

2020

Wildfires and Straight-Line Winds

1,644 households applied for aid $17.2M aid approved $249K to the City of Medford for repairs

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$90K to the City of Medford for repairs

Jackson County has had 17 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and floods.

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. Medford covers 17 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Medford’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Medford. 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 Medford total about $32.2M 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.