Annual Probability of Feeling an Earthquake in the US

The USGS detects approximately 20,000 earthquakes per year in the United States, of which about 1,000 are strong enough to be felt by people nearby. Approximately 10% of Americans (about 33 million people) experience at least one perceptible earthquake per year, primarily those living in seismically active areas.

California experiences the most earthquakes of any state (about 10,000+ per year, including hundreds of felt events), followed by Alaska (the most seismically active state by total count, though many are in remote areas), Oklahoma (which experienced a dramatic increase due to wastewater injection), Hawaii, Nevada, and Washington. The central and eastern US also experience earthquakes, though less frequently.

Most felt earthquakes are magnitude 2.5-4.0, which are felt but rarely cause damage. Earthquakes of magnitude 5.0+ (which can cause moderate damage) occur about 1-2 times per year in the continental US. The USGS ShakeAlert system now provides earthquake early warning for the West Coast, giving seconds to tens of seconds of warning before shaking arrives. During the May 2024 New Jersey M4.8 earthquake, millions of East Coast residents felt an earthquake for the first time, highlighting that seismic risk exists across the country.