Natural hazards · Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Bakersfield comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 15 claims here since 1980. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Bakersfield?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Bakersfield to be higher than in 65% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes49%Inland flooding37%Heat waves13%Everything else1%

By hazard

What Bakersfield faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Earthquakes

49% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

37% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 56% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Heat waves

13% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Recorded about 11 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtAvalanches

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce stormsCold wavesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Bakersfield flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Bakersfield, from FEMA’s records.

15paid claims since 1980

$65Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19802026

Biggest named events

Pineapple Express - Southern: 1 claim, $7K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Bakersfield isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Kern County.

Disasters that hit Bakersfield

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Bakersfield itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the City of Bakersfield.

Brought FEMA money into BakersfieldDeclared for Kern County only

2023

Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

259 households applied for aid $133K aid approved $852K to the City of Bakersfield for repairs

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$71K to the City of Bakersfield for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Debris and Mud Flows

$851K to the City of Bakersfield for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and Mudslides

29 households applied for aid $4K aid approved

Kern County has had 37 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and floods.

Around Bakersfield

Bakersfield and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Pumpkin Centermostly earthquakesVery high

Greenfieldmostly earthquakesHigh

Rosedalemostly inland floodingHigh

Potomac Parkmostly earthquakesHigh

East Nilesmostly earthquakesHigh

Bakersfieldmostly earthquakesHigh

Fairfaxmostly earthquakesHigh

Greenacresmostly earthquakesModerate

Oildalemostly earthquakesModerate

East Bakersfieldmostly earthquakesModerate

Bakersfield Country Clubmostly inland floodingModerate

La Crestamostly earthquakesModerate

Hillcrestmostly earthquakesModerate

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Bakersfield covers 95 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Bakersfield’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Bakersfield. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Bakersfield total about $127M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.