Humboldt County
California — Natural Disaster Risk Assessment
HighComposite Risk Score
National percentile: 97th
Humboldt County faces high composite natural disaster risk (NRI Risk Index score 96.8, 97th national percentile), driven primarily by landslide and earthquake exposure. Expected annual loss across all 18 hazard types is $189M.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 · Updated December 2025
Top Hazards
All 18 Hazard Risks
| Landslide | High | 83.33 / yr | $2M |
| Earthquake | High | 0.19 / yr | $94M |
| Wildfire | Medium | 0.00 / yr | $3M |
| Riverine Flood | High | 0.86 / yr | $51M |
| Tsunami | High | 0.23 / yr | $33M |
| Coastal Flood | High | 3.62 / yr | $4M |
| Drought | Medium | 34.37 / yr | $650K |
| Heat Wave | Low | 2.64 / yr | $252K |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $327 |
| Lightning | Low | 5.24 / yr | $93K |
| Hail | Very Low | 0.05 / yr | $40K |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 13.86 / yr | $6K |
| Tornado | Very Low | 0.03 / yr | $32K |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $18K |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the overall natural disaster risk for Humboldt County?
Humboldt County has a composite FEMA National Risk Index score of 96.8 out of 100, placing it in the High category and the 97th national percentile. This combines Expected Annual Loss, Social Vulnerability, and Community Resilience across 18 hazard types.
What are the top natural hazards in Humboldt County?
The three highest-rated hazards are Landslide (High, $2M EAL), Earthquake (High, $94M EAL), Wildfire (Medium, $3M EAL). These account for most of the county's expected annual losses.
How does Humboldt County compare to other California counties?
Humboldt County ranks #24 of 58 California counties for overall natural disaster risk, with a high rating.
What does Expected Annual Loss (EAL) mean?
EAL is FEMA's estimate of average annual dollar losses from natural hazards, calculated from historical event data and exposure models. Humboldt County's $189M EAL is a statistical average, not a guarantee for any specific year or address.