Natural hazards · Mesilla

Mesilla, NM natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Mesilla comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Mesilla?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Mesilla to be higher than in 64% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and drought.

Inland flooding61%Drought20%Earthquakes8%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Mesilla faces

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

Inland flooding

61% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Drought

20% of expected damage

Recorded about 57 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

8% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 73% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Mesilla flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Mesilla.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Dona Ana County.

Disasters that hit Mesilla

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MesillaDeclared for Dona Ana County only

2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

12 households applied for aid $306 aid approved $51K to the Town of Mesilla for repairs

Dona Ana County has had 7 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Mesilla

Mesilla and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Mesillamostly inland floodingHigh

Las Crucesmostly inland floodingLow

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. Mesilla covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Mesilla’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Mesilla. 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 Mesilla total about $1.4M 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.