Natural hazards · Los Altos

Los Altos, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Los Altos comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 4 claims here since 1983. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Los Altos?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Los Altos to be higher than in 91% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes55%Inland flooding44%

By hazard

What Los Altos faces

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

Earthquakes

55% of expected damage

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

Inland flooding

44% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Los Altos flood?

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

4paid claims since 1983

$33Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19832026

Biggest named events

Pineapple Express - Southern: 1 claim, $2K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 15% off flood insurance. Los Altos is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 7) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Santa Clara County.

Disasters that hit Los Altos

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Los AltosDeclared for Santa Clara County only

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

4 households applied for aid $24K aid approved

2020

Wildfires

54 households applied for aid

Santa Clara County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and fires.

Around Los Altos

Los Altos and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Palo Altomostly earthquakesVery high

Los Altosmostly earthquakesVery high

Cupertinomostly earthquakesVery high

Mountain Viewmostly earthquakesVery high

Sunnyvalemostly earthquakesVery high

Loyolamostly earthquakesVery high

Los Altos Hillsmostly 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. Los Altos covers 7 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Los Altos’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Los Altos. 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 Los Altos total about $38.3M 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.