Natural hazards · Goleta

Goleta, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Goleta comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 7 claims here since 1998. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Goleta?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

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

Earthquakes57%Inland flooding43%Everything else1%

By hazard

What Goleta faces

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

Earthquakes

57% of expected damage

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

Inland flooding

43% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtTsunamis

Not a risk here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherCold 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 Goleta flood?

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

7paid claims since 1998

$209Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19982026

Biggest named events

Pineapple Express - Southern: 1 claim, $4K

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. Goleta isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Santa Barbara County.

Disasters that hit Goleta

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into GoletaDeclared for Santa Barbara County only

2024

Severe Winter Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$21K to the City of Goleta for repairs

2023

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

$505K to the City of Goleta for repairs

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

58 households applied for aid $103K aid approved $525K to the City of Goleta for repairs

2017

Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflows, and Debris Flows

25 households applied for aid

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$58K to the City of Goleta for repairs

2008

Wildfires

1 household applied for aid $5K to the City of Goleta for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and Mudslides

13 households applied for aid $15K aid approved $176K to the City of Goleta for repairs

Santa Barbara County has had 35 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and fires.

Around Goleta

Goleta and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Eastern Goleta Valleymostly inland floodingVery high

Santa Barbaramostly earthquakesVery high

Goletamostly earthquakesVery high

University of California-Santa Barbaramostly 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. Goleta covers 7 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Goleta’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Goleta. 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 Goleta total about $29.0M 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.