Natural hazards · Pacheco

Pacheco, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Pacheco comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Pacheco?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Pacheco to be higher than in 99% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding67%Earthquakes32%

By hazard

What Pacheco faces

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

Inland flooding

67% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

32% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places

Lower here

TornadoesHailHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesDroughtAvalanchesTsunamis

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 Pacheco flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Pacheco.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Pacheco 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 Pacheco

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into PachecoDeclared for Contra Costa County only

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

3 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

16 households applied for aid $4K aid approved

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

Around Pacheco

Pacheco and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Pachecomostly inland floodingVery high

Pleasant Hillmostly earthquakesVery high

Martinezmostly 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. Pacheco covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Pacheco’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to Pacheco. 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 Pacheco total about $11.5M 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.