Natural hazards · Gig Harbor

Gig Harbor, WA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Gig Harbor comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 1979. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Gig Harbor?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Gig Harbor to be higher than in 69% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes77%Inland flooding20%Everything else3%

By hazard

What Gig Harbor faces

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

Earthquakes

77% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

20% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 18% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 9 years in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningTsunamisVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

HurricanesCold wavesDroughtAvalanches

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 Gig Harbor flood?

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

1paid claims since 1979

$2Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19792026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Pierce County.

Disasters that hit Gig Harbor

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Gig HarborDeclared for Pierce County only

2025

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

2 households applied for aid $5K aid approved

2009

Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, Mudslides, and Flooding

14 households applied for aid $4K aid approved

2008

Severe Winter Storm and Record and Near Record Snow

$16K to the City of Gig Harbor for repairs

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

8 households applied for aid $4K aid approved

2003

Severe Storms and Flooding

9 households applied for aid $20K aid approved

Pierce County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Gig Harbor

Gig Harbor and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Canterwoodmostly earthquakesHigh

Purdymostly earthquakesHigh

Rosedalemostly earthquakesHigh

Gig Harbormostly earthquakesHigh

Artondalemostly earthquakesHigh

Maplewoodmostly earthquakesHigh

Wollochetmostly 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. Gig Harbor covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Gig Harbor’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Gig Harbor. 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 Gig Harbor total about $6.8M 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.