Natural hazards · La Quinta

La Quinta, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in La Quinta comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 38 claims here since 2004. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is La Quinta?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding61%Earthquakes39%Everything else1%

By hazard

What La Quinta faces

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

Inland flooding

61% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

39% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 91% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingIce stormsCold wavesAvalanchesTsunamis

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 La Quinta flood?

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

38paid claims since 2004

$2.9Mpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

20042026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Hilary: 2 claims, $11K

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

Insurance rates: Riverside County.

Disasters that hit La Quinta

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into La QuintaDeclared for Riverside County only

2023

Tropical Storm Hilary

$339K to the City of La Quinta for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Debris and Mud Flows

$11K to the City of La Quinta for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and Mudslides

5 households applied for aid

Riverside County has had 61 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and floods.

Around La Quinta

La Quinta and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Indian Wellsmostly inland floodingVery high

Bermuda Dunesmostly inland floodingVery high

Vista Santa Rosamostly inland floodingVery high

Indiomostly earthquakesVery high

La Quintamostly inland floodingVery 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. La Quinta covers 9 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to La Quinta’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of La Quinta. 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 La Quinta total about $32.1M 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.