Home › California › Marin County

Marin County, California

Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.

Relatively High overall risk
27th of 58highest risk in California
$259Mexpected losses a year
24federal declarations
1 in 19homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Marin County, California has a relatively high overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 96% of US counties. It ranks 27th of 58 counties in California. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, earthquakes and coastal flooding. FEMA estimates about $259 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $989 per resident. Since 1964 it has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (21 major disasters). The most recent was in April 2023 (severe winter storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides and mudslides). About 1 in 19 homes here carry federal flood insurance (4,542 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $55 million on 3,301 claims here, including $28 million for floods in 2005.

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.

Top risks in Marin County

$116 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 2 times a year.
  • 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.
$110 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 10 years.
  • Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
  • Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
$19.8 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 2 times a year.
  • Learn your evacuation zone; it is set by surge risk, not by distance from the beach.
  • Ask about flood insurance even outside a mapped high-risk zone.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingHigh96.5
$116M
EarthquakeHigh98.7
$110M
Coastal floodingVery High97.2
$20M
TsunamiModerate69.2
$6M
WildfireModerate94.6
$4M
LandslideHigh99.2
$2M
Heat waveLow74.6
$1M
TornadoVery Low18.6
$242K
DroughtLow51.6
$183K
LightningLow34.1
$146K
Strong windVery Low11.2
$96K
HailVery Low3.7
$9K
Winter weatherVery Low4.0
$3K
Volcanic activityVery Low63.5
$56

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 low and community resilience is very high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Marin County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm10
Flood9
Drought1
Coastal Storm1
Earthquake1
Freezing1

Most recent

Apr 3, 2023Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Jan 14, 2023Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Jan 9, 2023Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and MudslidesEmergency
May 17, 2019Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disaster
May 1, 2019Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Apr 1, 2017Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Feb 14, 2017Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Jun 5, 2006Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Feb 3, 2006Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and LandslidesMajor disaster
Sep 13, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Show all 24
Feb 9, 1998Severe Winter Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 4, 1997Severe Storms, Flooding, Mud and LandslidesMajor disaster
Mar 12, 1995Severe Winter Storms, Flooding Landslides, Mud FlowMajor disaster
Jan 10, 1995Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, Mud FlowsMajor disaster
Feb 11, 1991Severe FreezeMajor disaster
Oct 18, 1989Loma Prieta EarthquakeMajor disaster
Feb 21, 1986Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 9, 1983Coastal Storms, Floods, Slides & TornadoesMajor disaster
Jan 7, 1982Severe Storms, Flood, Mudslides & High TideMajor disaster
Jan 20, 1977DroughtEmergency
Feb 8, 1973Severe Storms, High Tides & FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 16, 1970Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 26, 1969Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Dec 24, 1964Heavy Rains & FloodingMajor disaster

California also had 35 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1996

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 167 storm reports in Marin County since 1996, with 2 deaths and 1 injury and about $225 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F1 tornado on December 23, 1996 near Tomales.

1tornadoes
12hail reports, largest 0.25 inches
4damaging thunderstorm winds
114floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Dec 23, 1996F1Tomales0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Dec 31, 2005FloodCountywide$108M
Jan 1, 2006FloodCountywide$108M
Dec 11, 2014Flash FloodNovato$4M
Feb 6, 1998Flash FloodSouth Portion$2M
Dec 11, 2014Debris FlowTamalpais Vly$1M
Dec 11, 2014Debris FlowMarin City$1M

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Dec 25, 2025. 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 Marin County

Check your address flood zone ›
5.4%of homes have federal flood insurance (4,542 policies)
38%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$54.9 millionpaid on 3,301 flood claims since 1978
2005costliest year, with $28.1 million paid

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 Marin County

$1.5 millionmedian home value (California $734,700, US $332,700)
1967median year homes were built (California 1976, US 1980)
75%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
1.3%of homes are mobile homes, which are the least safe in tornadoes and high winds

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; 112,116 housing units.

Compare in California

All 58 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Los Angeles CountyVery HighEarthquake
San Diego CountyVery HighInland flooding
Orange CountyVery HighEarthquake
Riverside CountyVery HighInland flooding
San Bernardino CountyVery HighInland flooding
Santa Clara CountyVery HighEarthquake
Alameda CountyVery HighEarthquake
Sacramento CountyHighInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Contra Costa CountyVery High19
San Francisco CountyVery High9
Sonoma CountyHigh33
Solano CountyHigh28

Cities in Marin County

Common questions about Marin County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Marin County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Marin County, about $116 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Earthquake is second at $110 million.

How many federal disasters has Marin County had?

Marin County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1964, including 21 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides in April 2023.

Is Marin County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively High, 27th 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 Marin County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 19 homes in Marin 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 Marin County had?

NOAA records list 1 tornadoes in Marin County since 1950. The strongest was an F1 tornado on December 23, 1996 near Tomales. The weather service has also logged 12 hail reports and 114 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.