Natural hazards · Pico Rivera

Pico Rivera, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Pico Rivera comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 5 claims here since 1980. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Pico Rivera?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Pico Rivera to be higher than in 86% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes78%Inland flooding21%Everything else1%

By hazard

What Pico Rivera faces

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

Earthquakes

78% of expected damage

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

Inland flooding

21% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce stormsCold wavesDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Pico Rivera flood?

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

5paid claims since 1980

$19Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19802026

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

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

Insurance rates: Los Angeles County.

Disasters that hit Pico Rivera

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Pico RiveraDeclared for Los Angeles County only

2025

Wildfires and Straight-Line Winds

116 households applied for aid $770 aid approved

2023

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

$15K to the City of Pico Rivera for repairs

2020

Wildfires

13 households applied for aid

2017

Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflows, and Debris Flows

5 households applied for aid

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$95K to the City of Pico Rivera for repairs

2007

Wildfires, Flooding, Mud Flows, and Debris Flows

1 household applied for aid

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and Mudslides

7 households applied for aid $6K aid approved

2003

Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflow and Debris Flow Directly Related T

1 household applied for aid $2K aid approved

Los Angeles County has had 74 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and floods.

Around Pico Rivera

Pico Rivera and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

West Whittier-Los Nietosmostly earthquakesVery high

Industrymostly earthquakesVery high

Montebellomostly earthquakesVery high

Santa Fe Springsmostly earthquakesVery high

Whittiermostly earthquakesVery high

Pico Riveramostly earthquakesVery high

Downeymostly 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. Pico Rivera covers 13 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Pico Rivera’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Pico Rivera. 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 Pico Rivera total about $28.8M 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.