Natural hazards · Bernalillo

Bernalillo, NM natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Bernalillo comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 2018. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Bernalillo?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Bernalillo to be higher than in 82% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding85%Earthquakes9%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Bernalillo faces

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

Inland flooding

85% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Bernalillo flood?

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

2paid claims since 2018

$27Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20182026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Sandoval County.

Disasters that hit Bernalillo

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BernalilloDeclared for Sandoval County only

2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

$12K to the Town of Bernalillo for repairs

Sandoval County has had 18 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and severe storms.

Around Bernalillo

Bernalillo and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Bernalillomostly inland floodingVery high

Placitasmostly inland floodingLow

Santa Ana Pueblomostly inland floodingLow

Rio Ranchomostly 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. Bernalillo covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Bernalillo’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Bernalillo. 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 Bernalillo total about $3.7M 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.