Natural hazards · San Pablo

San Pablo, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in San Pablo comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 43 claims here since 1981. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is San Pablo?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in San Pablo to be higher than in 95% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes63%Inland flooding35%Everything else2%

By hazard

What San Pablo faces

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

Earthquakes

63% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

35% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 93% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

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 San Pablo flood?

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

43paid claims since 1981

$464Kpaid to owners

7homes flooded more than once

19812026

Biggest named events

California Atmospheric River: 1 claim, $3K

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

🏷️ 05% off flood insurance. San Pablo is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 9) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Contra Costa County.

Disasters that hit San Pablo

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into San PabloDeclared for Contra Costa County only

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

52 households applied for aid $47K aid approved

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$3K to the City of San Pablo for repairs

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

34 households applied for aid $37K aid approved $197K to the City of San Pablo for repairs

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

Around San Pablo

San Pablo and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

San Pablomostly earthquakesVery high

Rollingwoodmostly earthquakesVery high

El Sobrantemostly earthquakesVery high

Richmondmostly 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. San Pablo covers 6 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to San Pablo’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of San Pablo. 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 San Pablo total about $22.1M 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.