Natural hazards · Hesperia

Hesperia, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Hesperia comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 17 claims here since 1991. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Hesperia?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Hesperia to be higher than in 85% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding56%Earthquakes38%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Hesperia faces

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

Inland flooding

56% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places

Recorded about 13 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

38% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce stormsDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Hesperia flood?

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

17paid claims since 1991

$953Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19912026

Biggest named events

California Atmospheric River: 1 claim, $180K
Tropical Storm Hilary: 1 claim, $194K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: San Bernardino County.

Disasters that hit Hesperia

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into HesperiaDeclared for San Bernardino County only

2023

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

65 households applied for aid $60K aid approved $146K to the City of Hesperia for repairs

2020

Wildfires

30 households applied for aid

2010

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Debris and Mud Flows

$736K to the City of Hesperia for repairs

2007

Wildfires, Flooding, Mud Flows, and Debris Flows

11 households applied for aid

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mud and Debris Flows

$8K to the City of Hesperia for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and Mudslides

31 households applied for aid $9K aid approved $129K to the City of Hesperia for repairs

2003

Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflow and Debris Flow Directly Related T

115 households applied for aid $85K aid approved $10K to the City of Hesperia for repairs

San Bernardino County has had 56 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and floods.

Around Hesperia

Hesperia and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Apple Valleymostly inland floodingVery high

Hesperiamostly inland floodingVery high

Oak Hillsmostly earthquakesVery high

Victorvillemostly inland floodingHigh

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. Hesperia covers 18 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Hesperia’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Hesperia. 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 Hesperia total about $37.1M 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.