Natural hazards · Albuquerque

Albuquerque, NM natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Albuquerque comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 48 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 Albuquerque?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Albuquerque to be higher than in 26% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding58%Earthquakes30%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Albuquerque faces

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

Inland flooding

58% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 42% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

30% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 79% of U.S. places

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtAvalanches

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Albuquerque flood?

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

48paid claims since 1979

$1.1Mpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19792026

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

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

Insurance rates: Bernalillo County.

Disasters that hit Albuquerque

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into AlbuquerqueDeclared for Bernalillo County only

2013

Severe Storms and Flooding

$1.4M to the City of Albuquerque for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina Evacuation

$878K to the City of Albuquerque for repairs

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

$3.1M to the City of Albuquerque for repairs

Bernalillo County has had 8 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and severe storms.

Around Albuquerque

Albuquerque and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Los Ranchos de Albuquerquemostly inland floodingHigh

North Valleymostly inland floodingHigh

South Valleymostly inland floodingModerate

Corralesmostly inland floodingModerate

Carnuelmostly inland floodingLow

Sandia Heightsmostly inland floodingLow

Albuquerquemostly inland floodingLow

Rio Ranchomostly inland floodingVery low

Kirtland AFBmostly inland floodingVery low

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. Albuquerque covers 136 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Albuquerque’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Albuquerque. 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 Albuquerque total about $111M 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.