Natural hazards · Fremont

Fremont, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Fremont comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 9 claims here since 1978. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Fremont?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Fremont to be higher than in 92% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes67%Inland flooding32%Everything else2%

By hazard

What Fremont faces

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

Earthquakes

67% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

32% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtTsunamis

Not a risk here

HurricanesIce stormsCold wavesAvalanchesVolcanic 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 Fremont flood?

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

9paid claims since 1978

$28Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Pineapple Express - Southern: 1 claim, $750

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 10% off flood insurance. Fremont is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 8) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Alameda County.

Disasters that hit Fremont

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into FremontDeclared for Alameda County only

2023

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

$39K to the City of Fremont for repairs

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

99 households applied for aid $76K aid approved $3.6M to the City of Fremont for repairs

Alameda County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Fremont

Fremont and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Milpitasmostly earthquakesVery high

San Josemostly earthquakesVery high

Sunolmostly inland floodingVery high

Fremontmostly earthquakesVery high

Haywardmostly earthquakesVery high

Union Citymostly earthquakesVery high

Menlo Parkmostly earthquakesVery high

Sunnyvalemostly 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. Fremont covers 48 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Fremont’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Fremont. 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 Fremont total about $224M 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.