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U.S. state profile · USGS ComCat

Earthquakes in Oregon

Oregon has catalogued 263 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 (ranked 6th of 39 U.S. states), with the strongest reaching magnitude M7.0.

Oregon ranks 6th of 39 U.S. states and territories by catalogued seismic activity - a moderately active state, averaging about 13 M4+ events a year alongside 20 significant M6+ earthquakes since 1900. Below: the full M6+ event history, magnitude and depth profile, and yearly trend.

263
M4+ events (since 2005)
20
Major M6+ (since 1900)
M7.0
Strongest
~13
M4+ per year

The verdict

Oregon is more seismically active than most places tracked here, with 263 M4+ earthquakes logged since 2005 and 20 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 7.0.

1991
busiest year (3 major events)
10 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.

Oregon's M4+ count vs. every tracked state

Total catalogued M4+ events since 2005, USGS ComCat

263 Top 15% higher than 85% of 39 states

0–100: 30 states (77%). Below this entry. 100–200: 1 states (3%). Below this entry. 200–300: 4 states (10%). This entry sits in this band. 300–400: 0 states (0%). Above this entry. 400–500: 0 states (0%). Above this entry. 500–600: 0 states (0%). Above this entry. 600–700: 0 states (0%). Above this entry. 700–800: 0 states (0%). Above this entry. 800–900: 1 states (3%). Above this entry. 900–1,000: 0 states (0%). Above this entry. 1,000–1,100: 3 states (8%). Above this entry. Oregon 0 1,000+ every tracked state, bucketed by value

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 Oregon compares to its nearest peers

Oregon ranks in the 85th percentile for M4+ frequency among all 39 tracked U.S. states and territories. Plotted here against its 15 nearest-ranked peers by how OFTEN they shake (M4+ count) against how HARD the strongest one ever hit (max recorded magnitude).

Oregon vs. its 15 nearest-ranked peer states, USGS ComCat

Oregon vs. its 15 nearest-ranked peer states, USGS ComCat 2×2 strategic matrix plotting 16 entities by M4+ events since 2005 (X) and Strongest recorded magnitude (Y), with a crosshair dividing the plot into four quadrants. Frequent and severeRare but severeFrequent, capped so farLower on both axes -2,00002,0004,0006,0008,00010,000 M5M6M7M8M9 M4+ events since 2005 Strongest recorded magnitude
Oregon vs. its 15 nearest-ranked peer states, USGS ComCat
Read the chart (all 16 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 (this page) 263 M6.3
U.S. Virgin Islands 221 M6.1
Hawaii 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

Major (M6+) earthquakes in Oregon by year

Count of significant (magnitude 6.0+) events catalogued each year

Value

What this shows Oregon's most active year for major earthquakes was 1991 (3 M6+ events). Major-quake counts track the episodic release of tectonic stress, not a smooth trend.

Source USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat) As of 2026

Magnitude distribution of major events

Breakdown of the 20 significant (M6+) earthquakes on record for Oregon.

M7.0–7.9

1

5.0%

M6.0–6.9

19

95.0%

Depth of major earthquakes

Hypocentral depth of the 20 M6+ events, shallow quakes shake the surface hardest. Average depth: 10 km.

OregonOregon, Shallow (<70 km): 100%100%Shallow (<70 km)Intermediate (70-300 km)Deep (>300 km)
Depth distribution of Oregon's M6+ events, USGS ComCat

Shallow (<70 km)

20

100% of events

Intermediate (70–300 km)

0

0.0% of events

Deep (>300 km)

0

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 an Oregon-specific breakdown; Oregon's own position within these tiers depends on its local geology and fault proximity.

HazardHazard, Low (PGA <0.05g): 35%35%Hazard, Moderate (0.05-0.15g): 32%32%Hazard, High (0.15-0.30g): 22%22%Hazard, Very High (>0.30g): 11%11%Low (PGA <0.05g)Moderate (0.05-0.15g)High (0.15-0.30g)Very High (>0.30g)
PGA hazard tiers (50-year design life) - National distribution, USGS National Seismic Hazard Map 2023 (USGS NSHM)

Strongest earthquakes in Oregon

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

Mag Location Depth
7.0 136 km WSW of Brookings, Oregon 1.3 km
6.9 103 km W of Pistol River, Oregon 11.0 km
6.5 259 km W of Bandon, Oregon 10.0 km
6.5 235 km W of Port Orford, Oregon 15.0 km
6.4 213 km W of Port Orford, Oregon 15.0 km
6.3 285 km W of Bandon, Oregon 10.0 km
6.3 242 km WNW of Bandon, Oregon 13.0 km
6.3 248 km W of Bandon, Oregon 20.0 km
6.3 192 km WSW of Pistol River, Oregon 10.0 km
6.2 149 km W of Port Orford, Oregon 10.0 km

Significant earthquake record (20 events)

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

Mag Location Depth
6.0 267 km W of Bandon, Oregon 10.0 km
6.3 285 km W of Bandon, Oregon 10.0 km
6.2 272 km W of Bandon, Oregon 10.0 km
6.0 266 km W of Bandon, Oregon 8.0 km
6.3 242 km WNW of Bandon, Oregon 13.0 km
6.1 238 km WNW of Bandon, Oregon 10.0 km
6.3 248 km W of Bandon, Oregon 20.0 km
6.0 27 km WNW of Klamath Falls, Oregon 8.5 km
7.0 136 km WSW of Brookings, Oregon 1.3 km
6.1 136 km WSW of Brookings, Oregon 2.5 km
6.9 103 km W of Pistol River, Oregon 11.0 km
6.5 259 km W of Bandon, Oregon 10.0 km
6.2 294 km W of Langlois, Oregon 15.0 km
6.0 250 km W of Langlois, Oregon 15.0 km
6.4 213 km W of Port Orford, Oregon 15.0 km
6.3 192 km WSW of Pistol River, Oregon 10.0 km
6.0 136 km WSW of Pistol River, Oregon 0.0 km
6.2 149 km W of Port Orford, Oregon 10.0 km
6.2 283 km W of Bandon, Oregon 15.0 km
6.5 235 km W of Port Orford, Oregon 15.0 km

States with similar seismic activity

Comparable catalogued earthquake frequency to Oregon.

Puerto Rico

296 M4+ events · strongest M6.4

M6.4

U.S. Virgin Islands

221 M4+ events · strongest M6.1

M6.1

Hawaii

204 M4+ events · strongest M6.9

M6.9

Nevada

170 M4+ events · strongest M6.5

M6.5

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 Oregon's M7.0.

Puerto Rico

296 M4+ events

M6.4

Idaho

73 M4+ events

M6.5

U.S. Virgin Islands

221 M4+ events

M6.1

Nevada

170 M4+ events

M6.5

Georgia

67 M4+ events

M6.0

Guam

2,456 M4+ events

M6.8

Frequently asked questions

How many earthquakes hit Oregon? ▼
The USGS catalog records 263 magnitude-4-and-above earthquakes in Oregon since 2005, about 13 per year, plus 20 major (M6+) events catalogued back to 1900.
What was the largest earthquake in Oregon? ▼
The strongest catalogued earthquake in Oregon measured magnitude 7.0. The average magnitude across the M4+ catalog is 4.5.
How does Oregon rank for earthquakes? ▼
Among U.S. states and territories, Oregon ranks 6th 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 Oregon's numbers mean

Oregon ranks 6th of 39 U.S. states and territories - a moderately active state.

  • See Oregon's computed risk level alongside every other state, using the same USGS-derived methodology. Open the risk calculator
  • 100% of Oregon'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 Oregon 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.