Los Angeles County, California
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Los Angeles County, California has a very high overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is in the top 1% of US counties. It ranks 1st of 58 counties in California. The costliest hazards here are earthquakes, inland flooding and wildfires. FEMA estimates about $7.6 billion a year in expected losses, or roughly $760 per resident. Since 1969 it has been included in 86 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (34 major disasters). The most recent was in August 2025 (Canyon Fire). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (10,584 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $72 million on 9,104 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Los Angeles 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.
- Clear dry plants and debris within 5 feet of the house.
- Get home insurance quotes early; availability varies by area.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earthquake | 100.0 | $4.6B | ||
| Inland flooding | 100.0 | $2.8B | ||
| Wildfire | 99.9 | $155M | ||
| Heat wave | 99.3 | $37M | ||
| Tornado | 97.7 | $18M | ||
| Coastal flooding | 90.0 | $5M | ||
| Tsunami | 64.6 | $3M | ||
| Lightning | 96.9 | $2M | ||
| Hail | 93.0 | $2M | ||
| Avalanche | 92.4 | $2M | ||
| Landslide | 99.3 | $2M | ||
| Strong wind | 75.2 | $971K | ||
| Winter weather | 74.8 | $142K | ||
| Drought | 43.5 | $80K | ||
| Cold wave | 5.8 | $24K |
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 moderate 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 Los Angeles County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 86
California also had 35 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1952
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 502 storm reports in Los Angeles County since 1952, with 13 deaths and 151 injuries and about $104 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on March 1, 1983.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 1, 1983 | F2 | – | 30 / 0 |
| Nov 9, 1982 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 9, 1982 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 7, 1966 | F2 | – | 10 / 0 |
| Nov 7, 1966 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 1, 1983 | Tornado | – | $25M |
| Jun 5, 1987 | Tornado | – | $25M |
| Sep 22, 2002 | Wildfire | Azusa | $15M |
| Sep 1, 2002 | Wildfire | Azusa | $13M |
| Jan 7, 2005 | Heavy Rain | Countywide | $5M |
| Nov 12, 2003 | Hail | Compton | $4M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Feb 18, 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 Los Angeles 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 Los Angeles 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; 3,650,466 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Orange County | 40 | |
| San Bernardino County | 59 | |
| Kern County | 38 | |
| Ventura County | 51 |
Common questions about Los Angeles County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Los Angeles County?
Earthquake has the highest expected yearly losses in Los Angeles County, about $4.6 billion a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $2.8 billion.
How many federal disasters has Los Angeles County had?
Los Angeles County has been included in 86 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1969, including 34 major disasters. The most recent was Canyon Fire in August 2025.
Is Los Angeles County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very High, 1st 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 Los Angeles County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 200 homes in Los Angeles 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 Los Angeles County had?
NOAA records list 50 tornadoes in Los Angeles County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on March 1, 1983. The weather service has also logged 30 hail reports and 244 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.