Natural hazards · Corte Madera

Corte Madera, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Corte Madera comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 127 claims here since 1981. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Corte Madera?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

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

Earthquakes46%Inland flooding28%Coastal flooding22%Everything else4%

By hazard

What Corte Madera faces

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

Earthquakes

46% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 93% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

28% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 73% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Coastal flooding

22% of expected damage

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

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtTsunamisVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

HurricanesIce stormsCold wavesAvalanches

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 Corte Madera flood?

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

127paid claims since 1981

$2.0Mpaid to owners

11homes flooded more than once

19812026

Biggest named events

Pineapple Express - Southern: 7 claims, $215K
California Atmospheric River: 2 claims, $92K
Winter storm: 1 claim, $3K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 20% off flood insurance. Corte Madera is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 6) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Marin County.

Disasters that hit Corte Madera

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Corte Madera itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Town of Corte Madera.

Brought FEMA money into Corte MaderaDeclared for Marin County only

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$105K to the Town of Corte Madera for repairs

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$91K to the Town of Corte Madera for repairs

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

5 households applied for aid $8K aid approved $41K to the Town of Corte Madera for repairs

Marin County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Corte Madera

Corte Madera and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Larkspurmostly earthquakesVery high

Corte Maderamostly earthquakesVery high

Mill Valleymostly earthquakesVery high

Strawberrymostly earthquakesHigh

Tiburonmostly earthquakesHigh

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. Corte Madera covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Corte Madera’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Corte Madera. 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 Corte Madera total about $6.0M 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.