Natural hazards · Lakewood

Lakewood, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Lakewood comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 5 claims here since 1980. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Lakewood?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Lakewood to be higher than in 89% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes53%Inland flooding46%

By hazard

What Lakewood faces

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

Earthquakes

53% of expected damage

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

Inland flooding

46% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 times 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 Lakewood flood?

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

5paid claims since 1980

$26Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19802026

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

Insurance rates: Los Angeles County.

Disasters that hit Lakewood

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into LakewoodDeclared for Los Angeles County only

2025

Wildfires and Straight-Line Winds

258 households applied for aid $25K aid approved

2020

Wildfires

23 households applied for aid

2017

Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflows, and Debris Flows

2 households applied for aid

2008

Wildfires

4 households applied for aid

2007

Wildfires, Flooding, Mud Flows, and Debris Flows

8 households applied for aid

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and Mudslides

42 households applied for aid $27K aid approved $26K to the City of Lakewood for repairs

2003

Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflow and Debris Flow Directly Related T

70 households applied for aid $8K aid approved

Los Angeles County has had 74 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and floods.

Around Lakewood

Lakewood and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Long Beachmostly earthquakesVery high

Hawaiian Gardensmostly earthquakesVery high

La Palmamostly earthquakesVery high

Lakewoodmostly earthquakesVery high

Cerritosmostly earthquakesVery high

Cypressmostly earthquakesVery high

Bellflowermostly 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. Lakewood covers 17 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Lakewood’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Lakewood. 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 Lakewood total about $41.2M 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.