San Benito County, CA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
San Benito County has experienced 18 federally declared disasters since 1969, most recently Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides in 2023. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
San Benito County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, earthquake, and drought, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 32 storm events in the county over the past decade.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. San Benito County has been designated in 18 declarations since 1969, covering 8 disaster types including flood (6), severe storm (5), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| 2017 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 1998 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 18 total declarations since 1969.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | 95.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 69.4 | 22 | 1 | $15.5M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 97.3 | 511 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 59.9 | 6 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 10.2 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 3.8 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 1.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 1.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | No Rating | 0 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 12.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively High | 97 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 97.7 | 3 | 0 | $4.5M |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 8.2 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
San Benito County ranks in the 51st percentile (Moderate) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 51st | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 51st | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 67th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 96th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 16th | Very low |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 99th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 99th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 39.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 32 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 15 in 2016–20 vs 17 in 2021–25 (+13% — frequency increasing).
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in San Benito County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in San Benito County, California are landslide, earthquake, and drought. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has San Benito County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. San Benito County has received 18 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including declarations in 2023. The most common disaster type on record is flood (6 declarations).
Has San Benito County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for San Benito County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides in 2023.
How does San Benito County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Santa Clara County, CA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very High) and Kings County, CA has the lowest (Relatively Moderate). San Benito County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is San Benito County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
San Benito County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. San Benito County's composite score of 85 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 85% of US counties.