Natural hazards · Lafayette

Lafayette, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Lafayette comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 19 claims here since 1980. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Lafayette?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Lafayette to be higher than in 96% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding54%Earthquakes44%Everything else3%

By hazard

What Lafayette faces

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

Inland flooding

54% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

44% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce 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 Lafayette flood?

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

19paid claims since 1980

$173Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19802026

Biggest named events

Pineapple Express - Southern: 3 claims, $4K
Winter storm: 1 claim, $46K

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

Insurance rates: Contra Costa County.

Disasters that hit Lafayette

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into LafayetteDeclared for Contra Costa County only

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

76 households applied for aid $431K aid approved $205K to the City of Lafayette for repairs

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$32K to the City of Lafayette for repairs

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

20 households applied for aid $46K aid approved $39K to the City of Lafayette for repairs

Contra Costa County has had 17 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Lafayette

Lafayette and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Saranapmostly inland floodingVery high

Lafayettemostly inland floodingVery high

Walnut Creekmostly earthquakesVery high

Orindamostly earthquakesVery high

Acalanes Ridgemostly earthquakesVery high

Moragamostly earthquakesVery high

Reliez Valleymostly 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. Lafayette covers 5 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Lafayette’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Lafayette. 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 Lafayette total about $36.4M 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.