Natural hazards · Coachella

Coachella, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Coachella comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Coachella?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Coachella to be higher than in 99% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding54%Earthquakes44%Everything else2%

By hazard

What Coachella faces

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

Inland flooding

54% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

44% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingIce stormsCold wavesAvalanchesTsunamis

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 Coachella flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Coachella.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Riverside County.

Disasters that hit Coachella

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CoachellaDeclared for Riverside County only

2023

Tropical Storm Hilary

$725K to the City of Coachella for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Debris and Mud Flows

$10K to the City of Coachella for repairs

Riverside County has had 61 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and floods.

Around Coachella

Coachella and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Coachellamostly inland floodingVery high

Thermalmostly earthquakesVery high

Vista Santa Rosamostly inland floodingVery high

Indiomostly earthquakesVery high

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. Coachella covers 9 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Coachella’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Coachella. 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 Coachella total about $29.3M 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.