Natural hazards · Grass Valley

Grass Valley, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Grass Valley comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 10 claims here since 1983. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Grass Valley?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Grass Valley to be higher than in 44% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding77%Earthquakes11%Wildfire9%Everything else4%

By hazard

What Grass Valley faces

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

Inland flooding

77% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 64% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

11% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 76% of U.S. places

Wildfire

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesLandslidesStrong windLightningVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce stormsCold wavesDroughtAvalanchesTsunamis

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 Grass Valley flood?

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

10paid claims since 1983

$188Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19832026

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

Insurance rates: Nevada County.

Disasters that hit Grass Valley

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Grass ValleyDeclared for Nevada County only

2023

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

190 households applied for aid $231K aid approved $80K to the City of Grass Valley for repairs

2021

Wildfires

134 households applied for aid $316K aid approved

2017

Wildfires

76 households applied for aid $68K aid approved

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$35K to the City of Grass Valley for repairs

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

50 households applied for aid $34K aid approved $16K to the City of Grass Valley for repairs

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

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. Grass Valley covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Grass Valley’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Grass Valley. 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 Grass Valley total about $2.4M 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.