Natural hazards · Nipomo

Nipomo, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Nipomo comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 2001. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Nipomo?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Nipomo to be higher than in 71% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding59%Earthquakes33%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Nipomo faces

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

Inland flooding

59% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 78% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Earthquakes

33% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce stormsCold 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 Nipomo flood?

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

3paid claims since 2001

$146Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20012026

Biggest named events

California Atmospheric River: 1 claim, $101K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Nipomo 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 Luis Obispo County.

Disasters that hit Nipomo

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into NipomoDeclared for San Luis Obispo County only

2023

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

19 households applied for aid $43K aid approved

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

98 households applied for aid $121K aid approved

2003

Earthquake

15 households applied for aid $32K aid approved

San Luis Obispo County has had 24 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Nipomo

Nipomo and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Blacklakemostly inland floodingVery high

Woodlandsmostly droughtVery high

Nipomomostly inland floodingHigh

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. Nipomo covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Nipomo’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to Nipomo. 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 Nipomo total about $5.4M 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.