Hazards

Earthquakes

Every earthquake of magnitude 2.5 or more the USGS has catalogued in and around the United States since 1900, measured against every county.

20,318of magnitude 4 or more since 1973
791of magnitude 6 or more since 1900
76of magnitude 7 or more
9.2the largest, Prince William Sound, Alaska, 1964

2025 6,534earthquakes of M4+ in the lower 48 so far

Map: earthquakes of magnitude 4 or more in the lower 48 since 1900, drawn in the order they struck.

Year by year

Earthquakes of magnitude 3 or more in the lower 48 each year since 1973. The busiest year was 1992, with 2,263, 2,039 of them in California.

Counts start in 1973, when the modern U.S. seismic networks began, so small earthquakes from earlier decades are missing. A great earthquake brings thousands of aftershocks, so single years stand out. Each county and city page counts the earthquakes within 50 miles of it.

Magnitude 7 or more

78 earthquakes of magnitude 7 or more within 50 miles of a U.S. county since 1900, 65 of them in Alaska.

Earthquakes of magnitude 7 or more

Mar 27, 1964	9.2	Prince William Sound	AK	15.5	97
Feb 3, 1965	8.7	Western Aleutian Islands (Hawadax/Rat Islands)	AK	18.8	65
Mar 9, 1957	8.6	Atka	AK	15.5	36
Aug 16, 1906	8.3	Western Aleutian Islands (Hawadax/Rat Islands)	AK	68.4	0
Nov 10, 1938	8.2	Semidi Islands	AK	21.7	6
Jul 28, 2021	8.2	Chignik	AK	21.7	628
May 7, 1986	8.0	Atka	AK	20.5	273
Oct 9, 1900	7.9	Kodiak Island region	AK	12.4	0
Apr 18, 1906	7.9	San Francisco	CA	7.3	0
Dec 16, 1929	7.9	Aleutians West near Attu Station, Alaska	AK	12.4	1
Jun 9, 1996	7.9	Aleutians West near Adak, Alaska	AK	20.5	279
Nov 3, 2002	7.9	Denali Fault	AK	2.6	1,476
Jun 23, 2014	7.9	Rat Islands, Aleutian Islands	AK	67.7	563
Jul 9, 1958	7.8	The 1958 Lituya Bay, Alaska Earthquake and Tsunami	AK	6.2	1
Jul 2, 1965	7.8	Aleutians West near Nikolski, Alaska	AK	24.2	1
Nov 16, 2003	7.8	Rat Islands, Aleutian Islands	AK	20.5	429
Jul 21, 2020	7.8	Perryville	AK	17.4	335
Nov 29, 1975	7.7	Hawaii near Leilani Estates, Hawaii	HI	5.4	594
Feb 13, 1905	7.6	Aleutians West near Adak, Alaska	AK	21.7	0
Jul 30, 1972	7.6	Sitka City and near Sitka, Alaska	AK	12.4	2
Feb 1, 1975	7.6	Aleutians West near Attu Station, Alaska	AK	6.2	4
Oct 19, 2020	7.6	Sand Point	AK	17.6	1,214
Jul 21, 1952	7.5	Kern County	CA	3.7	256
Jan 4, 2013	7.5	Prince of Wales-Hyder near Edna Bay, Alaska	AK	5.4	178
Apr 17, 1916	7.4	Aleutians West near Nikolski, Alaska	AK	87.0	0
May 30, 1917	7.4	Aleutians East near Sand Point, Alaska	AK	21.7	1
Feb 3, 1965	7.4	Aleutians West near Adak, Alaska	AK	5.6	4
Aug 27, 1904	7.3	Central	AK	—	0
Jul 7, 1929	7.3	Aleutians West near Adak, Alaska	AK	21.7	3
Jun 28, 1992	7.3	Landers	CA	-0.1	2,781
Jun 10, 1996	7.3	Aleutians West near Adak, Alaska	AK	16.3	125
Jun 23, 2011	7.3	Fox Islands, Aleutian Islands	AK	32.3	195
Jul 16, 2025	7.3	Sand Point	AK	23.6	905
Mar 21, 1905	7.2	Aleutians West near Adak, Alaska	AK	21.7	0
Jul 6, 1912	7.2	Mount McKinley (Denali) area	AK	1.9	1
Oct 24, 1927	7.2	Sitka City and near Pelican, Alaska	AK	6.2	0
Mar 15, 1957	7.2	Aleutians West near Adak, Alaska	AK	15.5	4
Aug 17, 1959	7.2	Hebgen Lake	MT	7.5	10
Nov 8, 1980	7.2	Eureka	CA	11.8	46
Apr 25, 1992	7.2	Petrolia	CA	6.1	579
Dec 18, 2007	7.2	Aleutians West near Adak, Alaska	AK	21.1	192
Apr 4, 2010	7.2	Sierra El Mayor, B.C., Mexico	AZ	6.2	1,715
Jul 15, 2023	7.2	Sand Point	AK	15.5	98
Jan 17, 1901	7.1	British Columbia-Yukon border, Canada	AK	—	0
Nov 6, 1912	7.1	Kodiak Island near Karluk, Alaska	AK	21.7	0
Jan 22, 1923	7.1	Humboldt County	CA	9.3	0
Jul 22, 1937	7.1	Central	AK	6.2	0
Oct 15, 1947	7.1	Central	AK	16.2	1
May 14, 1948	7.1	Aleutians East near King Cove, Alaska	AK	15.5	0
Dec 16, 1954	7.1	Fairview Peak	NV	7.5	15
Mar 10, 1957	7.1	Aleutians West near Nikolski, Alaska	AK	21.7	0
Mar 12, 1957	7.1	Aleutians West near Adak, Alaska	AK	12.4	2
Mar 14, 1957	7.1	Aleutians West near Adak, Alaska	AK	15.5	1
Mar 22, 1957	7.1	Aleutians West near Akutan, Alaska	AK	29.0	0
Feb 27, 1970	7.1	Aleutians West near Atka, Alaska	AK	102.0	0
Feb 28, 1979	7.1	Copper River near McCarthy, Alaska	AK	9.3	15
Oct 16, 1999	7.1	Hector Mine	CA	8.5	1,269
Mar 17, 2003	7.1	Rat Islands, Aleutian Islands	AK	20.5	32
Jan 24, 2016	7.1	Kenai Peninsula near Pedro Bay, Alaska	AK	78.0	151
Nov 30, 2018	7.1	Matanuska-Susitna near Point MacKenzie, Alaska	AK	29.0	809
Jul 5, 2019	7.1	Ridgecrest	CA	5.0	2,117
Sep 8, 1910	7.0	Aleutians West near Adak, Alaska	AK	21.7	0
Jun 7, 1912	7.0	Event 36 Novarupta-Mount Katmai area, Alaska Peninsula	AK	—	14
Feb 6, 1916	7.0	Rat Islands, Aleutian Islands	AK	9.3	0
May 4, 1923	7.0	Kodiak Island near Chignik, Alaska	AK	15.5	0
Jun 21, 1928	7.0	Chugach near Chenega, Alaska	AK	9.3	0
Jul 5, 1929	7.0	Aleutians West near Adak, Alaska	AK	21.7	3
Apr 15, 1940	7.0	Aleutians West near Attu Station, Alaska	AK	18.6	1
Apr 15, 1940	7.0	Aleutians West near Attu Station, Alaska	AK	18.6	0
Mar 11, 1957	7.0	Aleutians West near Adak, Alaska	AK	15.5	6
May 1, 1971	7.0	Aleutians West near Adak, Alaska	AK	15.5	1
Jan 29, 1981	7.0	Aleutians West near Attu Station, Alaska	AK	20.5	6
Sep 4, 1989	7.0	Kodiak Island near Chignik, Alaska	AK	6.8	1
May 30, 1991	7.0	Aleutians East near King Cove, Alaska	AK	17.6	5
Dec 6, 1999	7.0	Kodiak Island near Karluk, Alaska	AK	27.1	123
Aug 30, 2013	7.0	Aleutians West near Atka, Alaska	AK	18.0	252
Dec 5, 2024	7.0	Offshore Cape Mendocino	CA	6.2	261
Dec 6, 2025	7.0	Hubbard Glacier	AK	6.4	850

The strongest outside Alaska

The lower 48 and Hawaii, strongest first.

Strongest earthquakes outside Alaska

Apr 18, 1906	7.9	San Francisco	CA	7.3	0
Nov 29, 1975	7.7	Hawaii near Leilani Estates, Hawaii	HI	5.4	594
Jul 21, 1952	7.5	Kern County	CA	3.7	256
Jun 28, 1992	7.3	Landers	CA	-0.1	2,781
Aug 17, 1959	7.2	Hebgen Lake	MT	7.5	10
Nov 8, 1980	7.2	Eureka	CA	11.8	46
Apr 25, 1992	7.2	Petrolia	CA	6.1	579
Apr 4, 2010	7.2	Sierra El Mayor, B.C., Mexico	AZ	6.2	1,715
Jan 22, 1923	7.1	Humboldt County	CA	9.3	0
Dec 16, 1954	7.1	Fairview Peak	NV	7.5	15
Oct 16, 1999	7.1	Hector Mine	CA	8.5	1,269
Jul 5, 2019	7.1	Ridgecrest	CA	5.0	2,117
Dec 5, 2024	7.0	Offshore Cape Mendocino	CA	6.2	261
Nov 4, 1927	6.9	Lompoc	CA	6.2	0
May 18, 1940	6.9	Imperial Valley	CA	3.7	29
Dec 16, 1954	6.9	Dixie Valley	NV	7.5	0
Oct 28, 1983	6.9	The 1983 Borah Peak Earthquake	ID	6.2	43
Oct 17, 1989	6.9	Loma Prieta	CA	10.7	376
May 4, 2018	6.9	Hawaii near Leilani Estates, Hawaii	HI	3.6	1,260
Oct 2, 1915	6.8	Pleasant Valley	NV	6.2	0
Jun 29, 1925	6.8	Santa Barbara	CA	6.2	0
Dec 20, 1932	6.8	Cedar Mountain	NV	6.2	17
Feb 9, 1941	6.8	Humboldt near Ferndale, California	CA	9.3	0
Feb 28, 2001	6.8	Nisqually	WA	32.2	2
Mar 9, 2014	6.8	Humboldt near Indianola, California	CA	10.2	59
Sep 20, 1908	6.7	Island of Hawai`i	HI	—	0
Apr 21, 1918	6.7	San Jacinto	CA	6.2	0
Apr 13, 1949	6.7	Pierce near Roy, Washington	WA	31.1	0
Apr 29, 1965	6.7	Pierce near Dash Point, Washington	WA	39.9	0
May 2, 1983	6.7	Coalinga	CA	6.0	740
Nov 16, 1983	6.7	Hawaii near Volcano, Hawaii	HI	5.4	122
Jan 17, 1994	6.7	Northridge	CA	11.3	919
Oct 15, 2006	6.7	Hawaii near Puako, Hawaii	HI	23.7	66
Nov 13, 1901	6.6	Near Marysvale	UT	—	0
Nov 20, 1915	6.6	Baja California-Sonora Border Region, Mexico	AZ	6.2	0
Jun 27, 1925	6.6	Clarkston Valley	MT	—	4
Mar 12, 1934	6.6	Hansel Valley	UT	5.3	5
Jan 22, 1938	6.6	Maui near Wailua, Hawaii	HI	6.2	0
Oct 21, 1942	6.6	Fish Creek Mountains	CA	3.7	27
Apr 8, 1968	6.6	Borrego Mountain	CA	6.2	119
Feb 9, 1971	6.6	1971 San Fernando Earthquake	CA	5.6	299
Nov 24, 1987	6.6	Superstition Hills	CA	6.9	488
Apr 26, 1992	6.6	Humboldt near Ferndale, California	CA	13.5	336
Jul 1, 1911	6.5	Near Morgan Hill	CA	6.2	0
Jul 14, 1918	6.5	Humboldt near Big Lagoon, California	CA	9.3	0
Mar 10, 1922	6.5	Parkfield	CA	—	1
Oct 5, 1929	6.5	Hualālai area	HI	—	0
Jun 6, 1932	6.5	Eureka	CA	9.3	0
Oct 3, 1941	6.5	Humboldt near Ferndale, California	CA	6.2	1
Apr 10, 1947	6.5	Manix	CA	3.7	137

Recent notable earthquakes

Magnitude 5 or more in the lower 48 and Hawaii, 6.5 or more in Alaska.

Recent notable earthquakes

Sep 17, 2026	6.5	Aleutians West near Nikolski, Alaska	AK	60.9	7
Aug 11, 2026	5.2	Hawaii near Naalehu, Hawaii	HI	6.7	7
Jul 23, 2026	5.0	Roberts near Spearman, Texas	TX	3.5	0
Jun 24, 2026	5.6	Mendocino near Redwood Valley, CA	CA	5.5	4
Jun 3, 2026	5.1	Humboldt near Petrolia, CA	CA	6.2	19
May 22, 2026	6.0	Hawaii near Honaunau-Napoopoo, Hawaii	HI	14.1	8
May 1, 2026	5.2	Lyon near Silver Springs, Nevada	NV	3.1	37
Apr 13, 2026	5.7	Churchill near Silver Springs, Nevada	NV	3.1	121
Dec 6, 2025	7.0	Hubbard Glacier	AK	6.4	850
Jul 16, 2025	7.3	Sand Point	AK	23.6	905
May 3, 2025	5.4	Culberson near Whites City, New Mexico	TX	4.7	38
Apr 14, 2025	5.2	San Diego near Julian, CA	CA	8.9	12

Where they strike

States with the most earthquakes of magnitude 3 or more since 1973, and the county and city rankings.

USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, magnitude 2.5 and up, 1900 to 2025. A state counts an earthquake centred in it or, offshore, within 50 miles of its nearest county; the last column is the state's largest.