Natural hazards · Millbrae

Millbrae, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Millbrae comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 31 claims here since 1980. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Millbrae?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

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

Earthquakes74%Inland flooding23%Everything else3%

By hazard

What Millbrae faces

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

Earthquakes

74% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

23% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 71% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningTsunamis

Not a risk here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesDroughtAvalanchesVolcanic 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 Millbrae flood?

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

31paid claims since 1980

$392Kpaid to owners

4homes flooded more than once

19802026

Biggest named events

California Atmospheric River: 1 claim, $16K
Pineapple Express - Southern: 1 claim, $1K

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

Insurance rates: San Mateo County.

Disasters that hit Millbrae

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MillbraeDeclared for San Mateo County only

2023

Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$47K to the City of Millbrae for repairs

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

24 households applied for aid $121K aid approved $259K to the City of Millbrae for repairs

2020

Wildfires

22 households applied for aid

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

$11K to the City of Millbrae for repairs

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

Around Millbrae

Millbrae and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Millbraemostly earthquakesVery high

San Brunomostly earthquakesVery high

Burlingamemostly 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. Millbrae covers 6 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Millbrae’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Millbrae. 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 Millbrae total about $21.7M 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.