Sutter County
California — Natural Disaster Risk Assessment
MediumComposite Risk Score
National percentile: 84th
Sutter County faces medium composite natural disaster risk (NRI Risk Index score 83.7, 84th national percentile), driven primarily by drought and earthquake exposure. Expected annual loss across all 18 hazard types is $45M.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 · Updated December 2025
Top Hazards
All 18 Hazard Risks
| Drought | Very High | 64.85 / yr | $21M |
| Earthquake | Medium | 0.04 / yr | $10M |
| Heat Wave | Medium | 7.65 / yr | $1M |
| Wildfire | Low | 0.00 / yr | $272K |
| Riverine Flood | Low | 0.61 / yr | $12M |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $24 |
| Lightning | Low | 8.43 / yr | $199K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 3.05 / yr | $997 |
| Tornado | Very Low | 0.08 / yr | $123K |
| Hail | Very Low | 0.08 / yr | $26K |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 0.02 / yr | $38K |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 0.22 / yr | $3K |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Coastal Flood | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Tsunami | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the overall natural disaster risk for Sutter County?
Sutter County has a composite FEMA National Risk Index score of 83.7 out of 100, placing it in the Medium category and the 84th national percentile. This combines Expected Annual Loss, Social Vulnerability, and Community Resilience across 18 hazard types.
What are the top natural hazards in Sutter County?
The three highest-rated hazards are Drought (Very High, $21M EAL), Earthquake (Medium, $10M EAL), Heat Wave (Medium, $1M EAL). These account for most of the county's expected annual losses.
How does Sutter County compare to other California counties?
Sutter County ranks #47 of 58 California counties for overall natural disaster risk, with a medium 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. Sutter County's $45M EAL is a statistical average, not a guarantee for any specific year or address.