U.S. state profile · USGS ComCat

Earthquakes in Hawaii

Hawaii has catalogued 204 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 (ranked 8th of 39 U.S. states), with the strongest reaching magnitude M7.7.

Hawaii ranks 8th of 39 U.S. states and territories by catalogued seismic activity - a moderately active state, averaging about 10 M4+ events a year alongside 21 significant M6+ earthquakes since 1900. Below: the full M6+ event history, magnitude and depth profile, and yearly trend.

Compiled by PlainQuake Editorial, Earthquake Data Editorial Team · July 19, 2026

204
M4+ events (since 2005): 21
Major M6+ (since 1900): M7.7
Strongest: ~10
M4+ per year

The verdict

Hawaii is more seismically active than most places tracked here, with 204 M4+ earthquakes logged since 2005 and 21 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 7.7.

2006
busiest year (2 major events): 11 km
average recorded event depth: 100%
of events are shallow (<70 km, the most damaging kind)

Average catalogued magnitude is 4.5 - most events are moderate tremors felt but rarely damaging.

Hawaii's M4+ count vs. every tracked state

Total catalogued M4+ events since 2005, USGS ComCat

204 Top 21% higher than 79% of 39 states

Each bar is a 100-wide band; taller bars hold more states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat) · 2005-present

How Hawaii compares to its nearest peers

Hawaii ranks in the 79th percentile for M4+ frequency among all 39 tracked U.S. states and territories. Plotted here against its 17 nearest-ranked peers by how OFTEN they shake (M4+ count) against how HARD the strongest one ever hit (max recorded magnitude).

Hawaii vs. its 17 nearest-ranked peer states, USGS ComCat

Read the chart (all 18 values)

State	M4+ events	Strongest magnitude
Alaska	8,960	M8.2
Northern Mariana Islands	3,328	M7.7
Guam	2,456	M6.8
California	883	M7.2
Puerto Rico	296	M6.4
Oregon	263	M6.3
U.S. Virgin Islands	221	M6.1
Hawaii (this page)	204	M6.9
Nevada	170	M6.5
Oklahoma	97	M5.8
Idaho	73	M6.5
Georgia	67	M6.0
Texas	52	M5.4
New Mexico	37	M5.4
Montana	28	M5.8
Utah	25	M5.7
American Samoa	24	M5.8
Washington	17	M4.7

1938

1
1940

1
1951

1
1954

1
1962

1
1973

1
1975

1
1983

1
1989

1
2006

2
2018

1
2021

1

What this shows Hawaii's most active year for major earthquakes was 2006 (2 M6+ events). Major-quake counts track the episodic release of tectonic stress, not a smooth trend.

Magnitude distribution of major events

Breakdown of the 21 significant (M6+) earthquakes on record for Hawaii.

M7.0–7.9

4.8%

M6.0–6.9

95.2%

Depth of major earthquakes

Hypocentral depth of the 21 M6+ events, shallow quakes shake the surface hardest. Average depth: 11 km.

Depth distribution of Hawaii's M6+ events, USGS ComCat

Shallow (<70 km)

100% of events

Intermediate (70–300 km)

0.0% of events

Deep (>300 km)

0.0% of events

USGS seismic hazard context

PGA hazard tiers from the USGS National Seismic Hazard Map, the design-basis shaking used in building codes. These are the national distribution of hazard tiers across all US land area, not a Hawaii-specific breakdown; Hawaii's own position within these tiers depends on its local geology and fault proximity.

PGA hazard tiers (50-year design life) - National distribution, USGS National Seismic Hazard Map 2023 (USGS NSHM)

Strongest earthquakes in Hawaii

The 10 most powerful events on record (USGS, since 1900).

Mag	Location	Depth	Date
7.7	17 km SSW of Leilani Estates, Hawaii	8.6 km	Nov 29, 1975
6.9	18 km SSW of Leilani Estates, Hawaii	5.8 km	May 4, 2018
6.7	22 km W of Volcano, Hawaii	8.7 km	Nov 16, 1983
6.7	14 km SW of Puako, Hawaii	38.2 km	Oct 15, 2006
6.7	Island of Hawai`i, Hawaii	0.0 km	Sep 21, 1908
6.6	10 km ENE of Wailua, Hawaii	10.0 km	Jan 23, 1938
6.4	71 km ENE of Honomu, Hawaii	15.0 km	Jun 17, 1940
6.4	14 km SSE of Waimea, Hawaii	10.0 km	Oct 6, 1929
6.4	Kaoiki area, Hawaii	0.0 km	Mar 28, 1915
6.3	20 km SSW of Honaunau-Napoopoo, Hawaii	10.0 km	Aug 21, 1951

Significant earthquake record (21 events)

Every catalogued magnitude-6.0-and-above earthquake in Hawaii since 1900, most recent first.

Mag	Location	Depth	Date
6.2	27 km SSE of Naalehu, Hawaii	35.1 km	Oct 10, 2021
6.9	18 km SSW of Leilani Estates, Hawaii	5.8 km	May 4, 2018
6.0	20 km SW of Hawi, Hawaii	16.2 km	Oct 15, 2006
6.7	14 km SW of Puako, Hawaii	38.2 km	Oct 15, 2006
6.2	13 km SSE of Fern Forest, Hawaii	8.8 km	Jun 26, 1989
6.7	22 km W of Volcano, Hawaii	8.7 km	Nov 16, 1983
7.7	17 km SSW of Leilani Estates, Hawaii	8.6 km	Nov 29, 1975
6.2	3 km WSW of Honomu, Hawaii	36.9 km	Apr 26, 1973
6.2	21 km N of Pahala, Hawaii	8.9 km	Jun 28, 1962
6.1	12 km S of Volcano, Hawaii	15.0 km	Mar 30, 1954
6.3	20 km SSW of Honaunau-Napoopoo, Hawaii	10.0 km	Aug 21, 1951
6.4	71 km ENE of Honomu, Hawaii	15.0 km	Jun 17, 1940
6.6	10 km ENE of Wailua, Hawaii	10.0 km	Jan 23, 1938
6.4	14 km SSE of Waimea, Hawaii	10.0 km	Oct 6, 1929
6.0	51 km NNE of Honoka‘a, Hawaii	0.0 km	Mar 20, 1927
6.0	41 km NE of Hala‘ula, Hawaii	0.0 km	Mar 20, 1926
6.1	11 km SE of Naalehu, Hawaii	0.0 km	Sep 15, 1919
6.2	8 km SW of Volcano, Hawaii	0.0 km	Nov 2, 1918
6.4	Kaoiki area, Hawaii	0.0 km	Mar 28, 1915
6.7	Island of Hawai`i, Hawaii	0.0 km	Sep 21, 1908
6.2	Kilauea South Flank, Hawaii	0.0 km	May 4, 1905

States with similar seismic activity

Comparable catalogued earthquake frequency to Hawaii.

U.S. Virgin Islands

221 M4+ events · strongest M6.1

M6.1

Nevada

170 M4+ events · strongest M6.5

M6.5

Oregon

263 M4+ events · strongest M6.3

M6.3

Puerto Rico

296 M4+ events · strongest M6.4

M6.4

Oklahoma

97 M4+ events · strongest M5.8

M5.8

Idaho

73 M4+ events · strongest M6.5

M6.5

States with a similarly strong peak event

Closest all-time strongest catalogued magnitude to Hawaii's M7.7.

Guam

2,456 M4+ events

M6.8

California

883 M4+ events

M7.2

Idaho

73 M4+ events

M6.5

Nevada

170 M4+ events

M6.5

Puerto Rico

296 M4+ events

M6.4

Oregon

263 M4+ events

M6.3

Frequently asked questions

How many earthquakes hit Hawaii? ▼

The USGS catalog records 204 magnitude-4-and-above earthquakes in Hawaii since 2005, about 10 per year, plus 21 major (M6+) events catalogued back to 1900.

What was the largest earthquake in Hawaii? ▼

The strongest catalogued earthquake in Hawaii measured magnitude 7.7. The average magnitude across the M4+ catalog is 4.5.

How does Hawaii rank for earthquakes? ▼

Among U.S. states and territories, Hawaii ranks 8th of 39 by catalogued M4+ activity - a moderately active state.

Where does this data come from? ▼

All figures come from the USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat). M4+ counts cover 2005 onward; the significant-event series covers M6+ back to 1900.

Understand the data

How earthquakes are measured

Magnitude scales, seismographs, and depth.

Most active U.S. regions

How the states rank for seismicity.

State rankings

Every state by M4+ activity.

About this data

Every figure on this page is computed directly from the USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), the public-domain record maintained by the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program. State assignment uses USGS place-name geocoding. Two series are combined: a worldwide catalog of magnitude-4.0-and-above events from 2005 onward - the period over which the global seismograph network reliably detects and locates earthquakes everywhere, and a historical series of significant magnitude-6.0-and-above events stretching back to 1900. Magnitudes use the moment-magnitude scale (Mw), the modern standard that supersedes the older Richter scale; because the scale is logarithmic, each whole step represents roughly thirty-two times more energy released. Depth is measured in kilometres from the surface, and shallow earthquakes generally produce stronger surface shaking than deep ones of the same magnitude. Counts reflect what instruments recorded, not every tremor that occurred, and recent events can be revised as seismologists refine the catalog.

Source: USGS ComCat, verify with USGS → · See our methodology for the full pipeline.

Disclaimer: PlainQuake is an informational reference for informational purposes only, not an emergency or early-warning service, and not professional engineering or safety advice. For official alerts and guidance, consult the USGS and your local emergency authorities. See our full disclaimer.

What Hawaii's numbers mean

Hawaii ranks 8th of 39 U.S. states and territories - a moderately active state.

See Hawaii's computed risk level alongside every other state, using the same USGS-derived methodology. Open the risk calculator
100% of Hawaii's catalogued major earthquakes are shallow (under 70km) - shallow events generally produce stronger surface shaking than deep ones of the same magnitude. How depth affects shaking
Compare Hawaii against every other U.S. state by count and maximum magnitude. See the full state ranking

Figures reflect the USGS ComCat catalog (M4+ since 2005, M6+ significant events since 1900) - not a real-time hazard assessment. For official guidance, see the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program.

According to the US Geological Survey Earthquake Hazards Program, PlainQuake's figures are rendered directly from 315,341 recorded M4+ earthquakes and 14,428 significant M6+ events (USGS ComCat, 2005-present) -- no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-07-19.