Natural hazards · Graham

Graham, WA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Graham comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Graham?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Graham to be higher than in 58% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes53%Inland flooding33%Cold waves7%Heat waves5%Everything else2%

By hazard

What Graham faces

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

Earthquakes

53% of expected damage

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

Inland flooding

33% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 36% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 9 years in the area

Cold waves

7% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 40% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 24 years in the area

Heat waves

5% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 77% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Graham flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Graham.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Graham 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 Graham

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into GrahamDeclared for Pierce County only

2025

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

6 households applied for aid $66K aid approved

2009

Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, Mudslides, and Flooding

8 households applied for aid $16K aid approved

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

6 households applied for aid $1K aid approved

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

Around Graham

Graham and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

South Creekmostly earthquakesHigh

Kapowsinmostly avalanchesHigh

Grahammostly earthquakesModerate

South Hillmostly earthquakesModerate

Elk Plainmostly earthquakesModerate

Fredericksonmostly 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. Graham covers 8 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Graham’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to Graham. 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 Graham total about $9.6M 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.