Natural hazards · Santa Maria

Santa Maria, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Santa Maria comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 9 claims here since 1992. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Santa Maria?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Santa Maria to be higher than in 74% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding53%Earthquakes42%Everything else5%

By hazard

What Santa Maria faces

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

Inland flooding

53% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 78% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

42% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Lower here

TornadoesHailHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce 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 Maria flood?

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

9paid claims since 1992

$93Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19922026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Santa Barbara County.

Disasters that hit Santa Maria

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Santa MariaDeclared for Santa Barbara County only

2023

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

5 households applied for aid $600 aid approved

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

387 households applied for aid $934K aid approved $285K to the City of Santa Maria for repairs

2017

Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflows, and Debris Flows

1 household applied for aid

2010

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Debris and Mud Flows

$39K to the City of Santa Maria for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and Mudslides

6 households applied for aid $9K aid approved $20K to the City of Santa Maria for repairs

2003

Earthquake

$29K to the City of Santa Maria for repairs

Santa Barbara County has had 35 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and fires.

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 Maria covers 19 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Santa Maria’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Santa Maria. 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 Maria total about $28.4M 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.