Natural hazards · Nehalem

Nehalem, OR natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Nehalem comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 13 claims here since 1981. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Nehalem?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Nehalem to be higher than in 93% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding50%Earthquakes27%Tsunamis15%Coastal flooding7%Everything else2%

By hazard

What Nehalem faces

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

Inland flooding

50% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

27% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Tsunamis

15% of expected damage

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

Coastal flooding

7% of expected damage

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

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningAvalanchesVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

HurricanesDrought

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 Nehalem flood?

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

13paid claims since 1981

$228Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19812026

Biggest named events

Winter storm: 1 claim, $2K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 15% off flood insurance. Nehalem is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 7) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Tillamook County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

31homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Nehalem

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into NehalemDeclared for Tillamook County only

2011

Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Mudslides, Landslides, and Debris Flows

$54K to the City of Nehalem for repairs

2007

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

98 households applied for aid $74K aid approved

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$14K to the City of Nehalem for repairs

Tillamook County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms 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. Nehalem is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

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

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.

Nehalem, OR natural hazards

How exposed is Nehalem?

What Nehalem faces

Inland flooding

Earthquakes

Tsunamis

Coastal flooding

Lower here

Not a risk here

Does Nehalem flood?

Biggest named events

What’s been done with FEMA grants

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Mudslides, Landslides, and Debris Flows

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

How to read this page

Where to, neighbor?

Matches

Nearby