ISO Ratings
ISO Scores 202: ISO scores by state
The national average ISO score for fire departments is roughly Class 5.5, and it varies widely by state. Florida leads with 110 departments rated Class 2, Key West holds a Class 1 rating shared by only 1% of departments nationwide, while largely rural states like Maine, Vermont, and the Dakotas skew toward Class 8 or higher, often due to water supply and funding constraints.
Key takeaways
- The national average ISO score is roughly Class 5.5; about 20 states rate worse than that average and 23 rate better.
- Florida is a standout, 110 departments have earned Class 2, and Key West holds a Class 1 rating that only 1% of departments nationwide achieve.
- States with many Class 8+ departments (Maine, Vermont, the Dakotas, and others) are often rural, with limited water access and smaller tax bases to fund equipment, infrastructure, and personnel.
- The common thread among top-rated departments is investment: training facilities, more personnel and apparatus, and creative infrastructure funding.
ISO scores primarily affect homeowners and businesses in a community in two ways: psychologically and financially. ISO scores are a measure of how well the fire department can protect the community.
If the classification is strong, residents and business owners feel safer knowing firefighters can help them when needed. The financial impact lies in insurance premiums: in many areas, property insurance underwriters use local scores to determine the risk of property damage claims. A poor classification can signal a higher likelihood of paying out claims; a strong one signals lower risk. These ISO-based risk assessments factor into the premiums insurance companies charge: and, in some cases, whether they'll offer a policy at all.
For this reason, fire departments and even state governments should view improving ISO scores as a long-term investment in residents and business owners. Doing so reduces fire risk, makes communities safer, and reduces financial risk. It also builds public faith in the very entities designed to protect people.
Want more detail on what makes up an ISO score? Read ISO Scores 101.
Which states have the best ISO scores?
Ratings at the strongest end of the spectrum are pretty uncommon, but a few states and territories have managed them.
In Florida, 110 fire departments have earned an ISO Class 2, the most common rating among all Florida departments. Some are doing even better: the Key West Fire Department has maintained an ISO Class 1 rating, something only 1% of departments across the nation have achieved.
California also has many departments with a Class 2 rating. Major areas like Riverside, Vallejo, and Fairfield have put in serious work to keep their classifications strong and their communities safe.
Washington, D.C. isn't technically a state, but it deserves a mention: it has just one fire department, and that department holds a Class 2 rating. Other honorable mentions include South Carolina and Rhode Island.
What drives these ratings? A lot of it comes down to effective training programs and investment. The Florida Keys put $1.96 million into a 5,000-square-foot live fire training facility in 2017. Riverside, California hired more firefighters and paramedics and increased its trucks by 25%. And like many other cities, Washington, D.C. embraced the public-private trend of building fire stations in private buildings, saving infrastructure dollars that can be reinvested into initiatives that improve ISO scores.
Which states have room for improvement?
While some states are doing well, others have a higher-than-average number of fire departments rated Class 8 or worse. These states include:
- Maine
- Vermont
- New Hampshire
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- New York
- Michigan
- Nevada
- Indiana
There are many possible reasons. In some cases, rural areas simply don't have as much access to water. Sparsely populated regions have fewer taxpayers contributing to the public safety budget, which can mean a lack of funding for new equipment, infrastructure, or personnel.
Some states are taking action to improve:
- Grand Rapids, Michigan: recently secured a $1.5 million federal grant for a brand-new firefighter training facility
- Indiana: is investing in a regional training system
- New York: is strengthening volunteer firefighter recruitment with stipends of $500 to $1,000 to offset training costs
As these examples show, there are many ways a department can work toward a better ISO score.
How do ISO scores compare state by state?
The national average ISO score is roughly 5.5. The 20 states with averages worse than that include:
- Kansas
- Wyoming
- Maine
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Pennsylvania
- Virginia
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- Montana
- Iowa
- Missouri
- Minnesota
- Michigan
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Mexico
- Oklahoma
- Arkansas
- Indiana
These states sit just about at the national average:
- Alabama
- Maryland
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Kentucky
- Wisconsin
The 23 states not appearing on these lists come in better than the national average.
How can RedAlert help your fire department improve efficiency and service?
To improve anything in your fire department, you must be able to track and measure data and activities. That's exactly what RedAlert helps your department accomplish.
The fire prevention module helps your firefighters improve community risk reduction scores by completing thorough inspections and investigations with ease. Streamlined equipment and maintenance tracking keeps your apparatus and gear audit-ready. Easy personnel scheduling helps ensure adequate staffing and fast response times, and you can manage meetings, drills, and training all in one place. Customizable reporting keeps you in compliance and lets you watch your progress.
Book a demo and see how our team can build a customized solution to help you achieve operational efficiency and enhance community safety.
This is part 2 of our ISO series. Start with ISO Scores 101, then continue to ISO Scores 301: fire training requirements and ISO Scores 401: efficiency and funding.
Common questions
What is the national average ISO score for fire departments?
The national average ISO score is roughly Class 5.5 on the ISO's 1-to-10 scale, where Class 1 is the best possible rating. Around 20 states average worse than 5.5, while 23 states come in better than the national average.
Which states have the best ISO fire department scores?
Florida is a leader (Class 2 is the most common rating among its departments, with 110 earning that mark) and California, Washington, D.C. South Carolina, and Rhode Island also perform well. Key West Fire Department maintains a Class 1 rating, something only 1% of departments nationwide have achieved.
Why do rural states tend to have worse ISO scores?
Rural areas often have limited access to water supply infrastructure, and smaller populations mean smaller tax bases for public safety budgets. That can leave departments underfunded for the equipment, infrastructure, and personnel that drive better ISO classifications.
How do ISO scores affect insurance in a community?
Property insurance underwriters in many areas use local ISO scores to assess the risk of property damage claims. A better classification signals lower risk, which can translate into lower premiums, and in some cases determines whether an insurer will offer a policy at all.
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