Natural hazards · Golden

Golden, CO natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Golden comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 5 claims here since 1980. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Golden?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Golden to be higher than in 50% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hail.

Inland flooding38%Hail35%Tornadoes12%Everything else16%

By hazard

What Golden faces

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

Inland flooding

38% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 18% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hail

35% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

12% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Lower here

Ice stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningAvalanchesVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesDroughtTsunamis

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 Golden flood?

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

5paid claims since 1980

$49Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19802026

Biggest named events

Late summer storms: 2 claims, $47K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Jefferson County.

Disasters that hit Golden

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into GoldenDeclared for Jefferson County only

2013

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

685 households applied for aid $1.3M aid approved $52K to the City of Golden for repairs

2006

Snow

$25K to the City of Golden for repairs

Jefferson County has had 12 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and floods.

Around Golden

Golden and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Fairmountmostly inland floodingHigh

West Pleasant Viewmostly inland floodingModerate

Goldenmostly inland floodingModerate

Lakewoodmostly hailModerate

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. Golden covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Golden’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Golden. 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 Golden total about $6.3M 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.