Natural hazards · Pleasanton

Pleasanton, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Pleasanton comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 9 claims here since 1983. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Pleasanton?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Pleasanton to be higher than in 97% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes51%Inland flooding48%Everything else1%

By hazard

What Pleasanton faces

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

Earthquakes

51% of expected damage

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

Inland flooding

48% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesAvalanchesTsunamis

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 Pleasanton flood?

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

9paid claims since 1983

$455Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19832026

Biggest named events

California Atmospheric River: 2 claims, $398K
Pineapple Express - Southern: 1 claim, $22K

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

🏷️ 15% off flood insurance. Pleasanton is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 7) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Alameda County.

Disasters that hit Pleasanton

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into PleasantonDeclared for Alameda County only

2023

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

$212K to the City of Pleasanton for repairs

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

77 households applied for aid $120K aid approved $1.5M to the City of Pleasanton for repairs

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$468K to the City of Pleasanton for repairs

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$183K to the City of Pleasanton for repairs

Alameda County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Pleasanton

Pleasanton and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Pleasantonmostly earthquakesVery high

Dublinmostly inland floodingVery high

Sunolmostly inland floodingVery high

Haywardmostly earthquakesVery high

Livermoremostly 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. Pleasanton covers 11 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Pleasanton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Pleasanton. 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 Pleasanton total about $91.9M 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.