Natural hazards · West Linn

West Linn, OR natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in West Linn comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 43 claims here since 1994. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is West Linn?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in West Linn to be higher than in 59% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes45%Inland flooding40%Cold waves8%Everything else8%

By hazard

What West Linn faces

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

Earthquakes

45% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

40% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 50% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

8% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat 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 West Linn flood?

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

43paid claims since 1994

$1.8Mpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19942026

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. West Linn isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Clackamas County.

Disasters that hit West Linn

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into West LinnDeclared for Clackamas County only

2021

Severe Winter Storm

$1.9M to the City of West Linn for repairs

2020

Wildfires and Straight-Line Winds

89 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

2008

Severe Winter Storm, Record and Near Record Snow

$79K to the City of West Linn for repairs

Clackamas County has had 18 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around West Linn

West Linn and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Gladstonemostly inland floodingHigh

Jennings Lodgemostly earthquakesHigh

Oak Grovemostly earthquakesHigh

Lake Oswegomostly earthquakesHigh

West Linnmostly earthquakesModerate

Oregon Citymostly earthquakesModerate

Staffordmostly inland floodingModerate

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. West Linn covers 6 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to West Linn’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of West Linn. 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 West Linn total about $12.9M 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.