Natural hazards · Menlo Park

Menlo Park, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Menlo Park comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 16 claims here since 1978. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Menlo Park?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Menlo Park to be higher than in 90% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes70%Inland flooding29%

By hazard

What Menlo Park faces

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

Earthquakes

70% of expected damage

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

Inland flooding

29% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtTsunamis

Not a risk here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesAvalanchesVolcanic 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 Menlo Park flood?

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

16paid claims since 1978

$265Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Pineapple Express - Southern: 7 claims, $150K
California Atmospheric River: 2 claims, $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

🏷️ 10% off flood insurance. Menlo Park is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 8) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: San Mateo County.

Disasters that hit Menlo Park

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Menlo ParkDeclared for San Mateo County only

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

46 households applied for aid $54K aid approved

2020

Wildfires

51 households applied for aid $12K aid approved

San Mateo County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Menlo Park

Menlo Park and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Palo Altomostly earthquakesVery high

Fremontmostly earthquakesVery high

Redwood Citymostly earthquakesVery high

Athertonmostly earthquakesVery high

Menlo Parkmostly earthquakesVery high

Woodsidemostly earthquakesVery high

West Menlo Parkmostly earthquakesVery high

East Palo Altomostly earthquakesVery high

Stanfordmostly 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. Menlo Park covers 9 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Menlo Park’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Menlo Park. 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 Menlo Park total about $44.9M 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.