Natural hazards · Sumner

Sumner, WA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Sumner comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 131 claims here since 1996. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Sumner?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Sumner to be higher than in 95% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes70%Inland flooding25%Everything else5%

By hazard

What Sumner faces

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

Earthquakes

70% of expected damage

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

Inland flooding

25% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 9 years in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesCold 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 Sumner flood?

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

131paid claims since 1996

$4.3Mpaid to owners

39homes flooded more than once

19962026

Biggest named events

Torrential rain: 53 claims, $1.6M

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (4) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Sumner 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.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

9homes raised above flood level

6flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Sumner

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SumnerDeclared for Pierce County only

2025

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

23 households applied for aid $47K aid approved

2012

Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$53K to the City of Sumner for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, Mudslides, and Flooding

95 households applied for aid $214K aid approved $305K to the City of Sumner for repairs

2008

Severe Winter Storm and Record and Near Record Snow

$6K to the City of Sumner for repairs

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

109 households applied for aid $937K aid approved $175K to the City of Sumner for repairs

2001

Earthquake

$8K to the City of Sumner for repairs

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

Around Sumner

Sumner and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Sumnermostly earthquakesVery high

North Puyallupmostly earthquakesVery high

Pacificmostly earthquakesVery high

Auburnmostly earthquakesVery high

Aldertonmostly inland floodingHigh

Edgewoodmostly earthquakesHigh

Lake Tappsmostly earthquakesModerate

Bonney Lakemostly 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. Sumner covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Sumner’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Sumner. 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 Sumner total about $29.0M 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.