Natural hazards · Martinez

Martinez, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Martinez comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 87 claims here since 1982. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Martinez?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Martinez to be higher than in 87% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes59%Inland flooding38%Everything else4%

By hazard

What Martinez faces

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

Earthquakes

59% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

38% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningTsunamisVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesDroughtAvalanches

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 Martinez flood?

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

87paid claims since 1982

$838Kpaid to owners

11homes flooded more than once

19822026

Biggest named events

Pineapple Express - Southern: 5 claims, $87K
California Atmospheric River: 1 claim, $59K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Martinez 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 Martinez

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MartinezDeclared for Contra Costa County only

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

80 households applied for aid $89K aid approved $450K to the City of Martinez for repairs

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$826K to the City of Martinez for repairs

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

54 households applied for aid $52K aid approved $94K to the City of Martinez for repairs

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

Around Martinez

Martinez and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Pachecomostly inland floodingVery high

Alhambra Valleymostly earthquakesVery high

Pleasant Hillmostly earthquakesVery high

Vine Hillmostly earthquakesVery high

Martinezmostly earthquakesVery high

Mountain Viewmostly 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. Martinez covers 7 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Martinez’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Martinez. 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 Martinez total about $23.8M 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.