Natural hazards · Hawthorne

Hawthorne, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Hawthorne comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 1978. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Hawthorne?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Hawthorne to be higher than in 97% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding55%Earthquakes44%

By hazard

What Hawthorne faces

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

Inland flooding

55% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

44% of expected damage

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

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 Hawthorne flood?

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

1paid claims since 1978

$279paid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19782026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Hawthorne 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 Hawthorne

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into HawthorneDeclared for Los Angeles County only

2025

Wildfires and Straight-Line Winds

423 households applied for aid $381K aid approved

2020

Wildfires

26 households applied for aid

2018

Wildfires

1 household applied for aid

2008

Wildfires

18 households applied for aid $827 aid approved

2007

Wildfires, Flooding, Mud Flows, and Debris Flows

21 households applied for aid $518 aid approved

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and Mudslides

263 households applied for aid $178K aid approved

2003

Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflow and Debris Flow Directly Related T

386 households applied for aid $112K aid approved

Los Angeles County has had 74 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and floods.

Around Hawthorne

Hawthorne and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Lennoxmostly inland floodingVery high

Hawthornemostly inland floodingVery high

Lawndalemostly inland floodingVery high

Alondra Parkmostly earthquakesVery high

Del Airemostly inland floodingVery high

Los Angelesmostly earthquakesVery high

Inglewoodmostly earthquakesVery high

El Segundomostly earthquakesVery high

West Athensmostly 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. Hawthorne covers 20 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Hawthorne’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Hawthorne. 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 Hawthorne total about $57.2M 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.