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Natural hazards · Compton

Compton, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Compton comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 8 claims here since 2003. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Compton?

91
Very high
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Compton to be higher than in 91% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes64%Inland flooding35%
By hazard

What Compton faces

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

Earthquakes

64% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

35% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Compton flood?

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

8paid claims since 2003
$140Kpaid to owners
0homes flooded more than once
20032026
of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Compton isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Los Angeles County.
Disasters that hit Compton

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ComptonDeclared for Los Angeles County only
2025

Wildfires and Straight-Line Winds

594 households applied for aid $50K aid approved
2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$62K to the City of Compton for repairs
2020

Wildfires

44 households applied for aid
2018

Wildfires

2 households applied for aid
2017

Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflows, and Debris Flows

2 households applied for aid
2008

Wildfires

78 households applied for aid $3K aid approved
2007

Wildfires, Flooding, Mud Flows, and Debris Flows

91 households applied for aid
2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and Mudslides

1,363 households applied for aid $614K aid approved $20K to the City of Compton for repairs
2003

Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflow and Debris Flow Directly Related T

1,732 households applied for aid $649K aid approved
Los Angeles County has had 74 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and floods.
Around Compton

Compton and the towns around it

Willowbrook: Very high, mostly inland floodingCarson: Very high, mostly earthquakesWest Rancho Dominguez: Very high, mostly earthquakesLynwood: Very high, mostly earthquakesEast Rancho Dominguez: Very high, mostly earthquakesParamount: Very high, mostly earthquakesLong Beach: Very high, mostly earthquakesLos Angeles: Very high, mostly earthquakesWest Carson: Very high, mostly earthquakesSouth Gate: Very high, mostly earthquakesBellflower: Very high, mostly earthquakesDowney: Very high, mostly earthquakesLakewood: Very high, mostly earthquakesHawaiian Gardens: Very high, mostly earthquakesSeal Beach: Very high, mostly inland floodingLos Alamitos: Very high, mostly earthquakesCompton: Very high, mostly earthquakes ComptonWillowbrookCarsonWest Rancho DominguezLynwoodEast Rancho DominguezParamountLong Beach
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Willowbrookmostly inland floodingVery high
Long Beachmostly earthquakesVery high
Comptonmostly earthquakesVery high
West Rancho Dominguezmostly earthquakesVery high
Carsonmostly earthquakesVery high
Paramountmostly earthquakesVery high
Lynwoodmostly earthquakesVery high
East Rancho Dominguezmostly 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. Compton covers 24 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Compton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Compton. 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 Compton total about $57.7M 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.

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