Natural hazards · Issaquah

Issaquah, WA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Issaquah comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 145 claims here since 1979. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Issaquah?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Issaquah to be higher than in 84% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes69%Inland flooding30%Everything else1%

By hazard

What Issaquah faces

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

Earthquakes

69% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

30% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 74% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat 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 Issaquah flood?

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

145paid claims since 1979

$4.8Mpaid to owners

20homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Torrential rain: 3 claims, $31K
Winter storm: 2 claims, $13K
2025-12-AtmosphericRiver: 2 claims, $65K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (6) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: King County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

7homes raised above flood level

6flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Issaquah

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into IssaquahDeclared for King County only

2025

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

9 households applied for aid $18K aid approved

2020

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$349K to the City of Issaquah for repairs

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides

$93K to the City of Issaquah for repairs

2012

Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$150K to the City of Issaquah for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, Mudslides, and Flooding

50 households applied for aid $88K aid approved $115K to the City of Issaquah for repairs

2008

Severe Winter Storm and Record and Near Record Snow

$185K to the City of Issaquah for repairs

2007

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

5 households applied for aid $6K aid approved $110K to the City of Issaquah for repairs

2006

Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, and Mudslides

$92K to the City of Issaquah for repairs

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

13 households applied for aid $5K aid approved $65K to the City of Issaquah for repairs

2003

Severe Storms and Flooding

2 households applied for aid $6K aid approved

2001

Earthquake

$106K to the City of Issaquah for repairs

King County has had 30 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Issaquah

Issaquah and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Issaquahmostly earthquakesVery high

Bellevuemostly earthquakesHigh

Sammamishmostly earthquakesHigh

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. Issaquah covers 5 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Issaquah’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Issaquah. 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 Issaquah total about $28.7M 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.