Natural hazards · Hayward

Hayward, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Hayward comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 16 claims here since 1983. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Hayward?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

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

Earthquakes73%Inland flooding26%Everything else2%

By hazard

What Hayward faces

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

Earthquakes

73% of expected damage

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

Inland flooding

26% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailWinter 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 Hayward flood?

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

16paid claims since 1983

$1.1Mpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19832026

Biggest named events

Pineapple Express - Southern: 10 claims, $456K
California Atmospheric River: 2 claims, $87K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Hayward isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Alameda County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1flood-prone homes bought out and moved

Disasters that hit Hayward

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into HaywardDeclared for Alameda County only

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

221 households applied for aid $572K aid approved $144K to the City of Hayward for repairs

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$102K to the City of Hayward for repairs

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

Around Hayward

Hayward and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Pleasantonmostly earthquakesVery high

San Leandromostly earthquakesVery high

Foster Citymostly inland floodingVery high

Oaklandmostly earthquakesVery high

Sunolmostly inland floodingVery high

Haywardmostly earthquakesVery high

Fremontmostly earthquakesVery high

Union Citymostly earthquakesVery high

San Lorenzomostly earthquakesVery high

Cherrylandmostly earthquakesVery high

Castro Valleymostly earthquakesVery high

Fairviewmostly 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. Hayward covers 32 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Hayward’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Hayward. 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 Hayward total about $161M 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.