Natural hazards · SeaTac

SeaTac, WA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in SeaTac comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 2010. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is SeaTac?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in SeaTac to be higher than in 89% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes.

Earthquakes92%Inland flooding7%Everything else1%

By hazard

What SeaTac faces

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

Earthquakes

92% of expected damage

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

Inland flooding

7% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 11% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

HurricanesCold wavesDroughtAvalanchesTsunamis

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 SeaTac flood?

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

1paid claims since 2010

$1Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20102026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: King County.

Disasters that hit SeaTac

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SeaTacDeclared for King County only

2025

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

2 households applied for aid $1K aid approved

2012

Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$126K to the City of SeaTac for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, Mudslides, and Flooding

3 households applied for aid $1K aid approved

2008

Severe Winter Storm and Record and Near Record Snow

$101K to the City of SeaTac for repairs

2007

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

2 households applied for aid $4K aid approved

2006

Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, and Mudslides

$53K to the City of SeaTac for repairs

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

5 households applied for aid $5K aid approved

2003

Severe Storms and Flooding

2 households applied for aid $3K aid approved

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

Around SeaTac

SeaTac and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Tukwilamostly earthquakesVery high

SeaTacmostly earthquakesVery high

Kentmostly earthquakesVery high

Burienmostly earthquakesHigh

Des Moinesmostly 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. SeaTac covers 6 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to SeaTac’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of SeaTac. 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 SeaTac total about $31.1M 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.