Natural hazards · Orcutt

Orcutt, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Orcutt comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 2023. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Orcutt?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Orcutt to be higher than in 60% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding59%Earthquakes38%Everything else3%

By hazard

What Orcutt 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

Above average · higher than 64% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

38% of expected damage

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

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 Orcutt flood?

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

1paid claims since 2023

$31Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20232026

Biggest named events

California Atmospheric River: 1 claim, $31K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Orcutt isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Santa Barbara County.

Disasters that hit Orcutt

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into OrcuttDeclared for Santa Barbara County only

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

15 households applied for aid $5K aid approved

Santa Barbara County has had 35 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and fires.

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. Orcutt covers 6 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Orcutt’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to Orcutt. 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 Orcutt total about $7.2M 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.