Natural hazards · Orting

Orting, WA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Orting comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 23 claims here since 1990. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Orting?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Orting to be higher than in 88% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding43%Earthquakes40%Volcanic activity10%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Orting faces

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

Inland flooding

43% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 91% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 9 years in the area

Earthquakes

40% of expected damage

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

Volcanic activity

10% of expected damage

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

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightning

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 Orting flood?

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

23paid claims since 1990

$361Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19902026

Biggest named events

Torrential rain: 3 claims, $167K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 20% off flood insurance. Orting is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 6) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Pierce County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

19flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Orting

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into OrtingDeclared for Pierce County only

2025

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

12 households applied for aid $28K aid approved

2012

Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$29K to the City of Orting for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, Mudslides, and Flooding

24 households applied for aid $78K aid approved $11K to the City of Orting for repairs

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

62 households applied for aid $172K aid approved $28K to the City of Orting for repairs

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

Around Orting

Orting and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

McMillinmostly inland floodingVery high

Ortingmostly inland floodingVery high

Tehalehmostly avalanchesHigh

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. Orting covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Orting’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Orting. 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 Orting total about $7.2M 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.