Natural hazards · Hillsborough

Hillsborough, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Hillsborough comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 8 claims here since 1993. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Hillsborough?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Hillsborough to be higher than in 82% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes58%Inland flooding41%Everything else2%

By hazard

What Hillsborough faces

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

Earthquakes

58% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 93% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

41% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 71% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

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 Hillsborough flood?

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

8paid claims since 1993

$125Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19932026

Biggest named events

Pineapple Express - Southern: 2 claims, $8K
California Atmospheric River: 2 claims, $52K

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. Hillsborough 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 Mateo County.

Disasters that hit Hillsborough

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into HillsboroughDeclared for San Mateo County only

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

29 households applied for aid $124K aid approved $1.7M to the Town of Hillsborough for repairs

2020

Wildfires

23 households applied for aid $4K aid approved

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$80K to the Town of Hillsborough for repairs

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

$49K to the Town of Hillsborough for repairs

San Mateo County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Hillsborough

Hillsborough and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

San Mateomostly earthquakesVery high

Burlingamemostly earthquakesVery high

Highlandsmostly earthquakesVery high

Hillsboroughmostly earthquakesVery high

Baywood Parkmostly earthquakesHigh

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. Hillsborough covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Hillsborough’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Hillsborough. 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 Hillsborough total about $13.9M 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.