Natural hazards · Richland

Richland, WA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Richland comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 15 claims here since 1982. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Richland?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Richland to be higher than in 46% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding61%Earthquakes15%Heat waves8%Cold waves6%Wildfire6%Everything else4%

By hazard

What Richland faces

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

Inland flooding

61% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 64% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Earthquakes

15% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 78% of U.S. places

Heat waves

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places

Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 31% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Wildfire

6% of expected damage

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

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtAvalanchesVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesTsunamis

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 Richland flood?

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

15paid claims since 1982

$248Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19822026

Biggest named events

2025-12-AtmosphericRiver: 4 claims, $73K

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Benton County.

Disasters that hit Richland

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into RichlandDeclared for Benton County only

2009

Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, Mudslides, and Flooding

6 households applied for aid $3K aid approved

Benton County has had 18 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and fires.

Around Richland

Richland and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Pascomostly inland floodingHigh

West Richlandmostly inland floodingModerate

Kennewickmostly inland floodingModerate

Richlandmostly 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. Richland covers 14 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Richland’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Richland. 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 Richland total about $19.9M 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.