Natural hazards · Santa Clara

Santa Clara, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Santa Clara comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 16 claims here since 1979. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Santa Clara?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Santa Clara to be higher than in 96% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes56%Inland flooding43%Everything else1%

By hazard

What Santa Clara faces

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

Earthquakes

56% of expected damage

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

Inland flooding

43% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

HurricanesIce 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 Santa Clara flood?

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

16paid claims since 1979

$311Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

California Atmospheric River: 1 claim, $863
Pineapple Express - Southern: 1 claim, $127K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Santa Clara County.

Disasters that hit Santa Clara

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Santa ClaraDeclared for Santa Clara County only

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

5 households applied for aid

2020

Wildfires

783 households applied for aid $6K aid approved

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$75K to the City of Santa Clara for repairs

Santa Clara County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and fires.

Around Santa Clara

Santa Clara and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Santa Claramostly earthquakesVery high

San Josemostly earthquakesVery high

Cupertinomostly earthquakesVery high

Sunnyvalemostly 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. Santa Clara covers 25 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Santa Clara’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Santa Clara. 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 Santa Clara total about $154M 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.