Kern County, California
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Kern County, California has a relatively high overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 99% of US counties. It ranks 15th of 58 counties in California. The costliest hazards here are earthquakes, inland flooding and heat waves. FEMA estimates about $417 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $459 per resident. Since 1967 it has been included in 38 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (18 major disasters). The most recent was in July 2024 (Borel Fire). About 1 in 91 homes here carry federal flood insurance (2,955 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $1.5 million on 280 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Kern County
- Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
- Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
- Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
- Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.
- Check that cooling works before summer.
- Know where the nearest cooling center is.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earthquake | 99.4 | $184M | ||
| Inland flooding | 98.5 | $147M | ||
| Heat wave | 99.5 | $43M | ||
| Wildfire | 99.7 | $38M | ||
| Drought | 94.5 | $2M | ||
| Lightning | 85.0 | $761K | ||
| Landslide | 98.5 | $758K | ||
| Hail | 67.7 | $414K | ||
| Strong wind | 46.0 | $399K | ||
| Winter weather | 82.2 | $190K | ||
| Tornado | 19.8 | $186K | ||
| Cold wave | 3.9 | $5K | ||
| Avalanche | 46.8 | $336 | ||
| Volcanic activity | 59.6 | $25 |
Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is relatively high and community resilience is very low in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Kern County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 38
California also had 35 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1960
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 809 storm reports in Kern County since 1960, with 2 deaths and 11 injuries and about $88.9 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F1 tornado on March 17, 1991.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 17, 1991 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 1, 2007 | EF0 | Rosamond | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 17, 1997 | F0 | Bakersfield | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 23, 1993 | F0 | Mcfarland | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 3, 1999 | F0 | Bakersfield | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 1, 1998 | Heavy Rain | Bakersfield | $18M |
| Jan 2, 2011 | Flood | Bakersfield | $13M |
| May 1, 2003 | Heavy Rain | Countywide | $10M |
| May 1, 1998 | Heavy Rain | Bakersfield | $6M |
| Mar 31, 1998 | Flood | Bakersfield | $6M |
| Sep 3, 1997 | Flash Flood | Cantil | $5M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jan 3, 2026. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.
Flood insurance in Kern County
Check your address flood zone ›National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.
Homes in Kern County
Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 306,999 housing units.
Compare in California
All 58 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles County | Earthquake | |
| San Diego County | Inland flooding | |
| Orange County | Earthquake | |
| Riverside County | Inland flooding | |
| San Bernardino County | Inland flooding | |
| Santa Clara County | Earthquake | |
| Alameda County | Earthquake | |
| Sacramento County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles County | 86 | |
| San Bernardino County | 59 | |
| Ventura County | 51 | |
| Tulare County | 21 | |
| Santa Barbara County | 41 | |
| San Luis Obispo County | 26 | |
| Kings County | 17 | |
| Inyo County | 14 |
Common questions about Kern County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Kern County?
Earthquake has the highest expected yearly losses in Kern County, about $184 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $147 million.
How many federal disasters has Kern County had?
Kern County has been included in 38 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1967, including 18 major disasters. The most recent was Borel Fire in July 2024.
Is Kern County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively High, 15th highest of 58 in California. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.
Do I need flood insurance in Kern County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 91 homes in Kern County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.
How many tornadoes has Kern County had?
NOAA records list 16 tornadoes in Kern County since 1950. The strongest was an F1 tornado on March 17, 1991. The weather service has also logged 41 hail reports and 459 floods here.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.