Ranked from NOAA 1991-2020 Climate Normals
Wettest Counties in California
Total annual precipitation by county, wettest first. Rainfall drives roof and siding wear, basement water, and in much of the country the flood component of the insurance premium. Figures are NOAA 1991-2020 Climate Normals from the weather station nearest each county seat, so they describe a thirty-year average rather than any single year.
California ranked
| # | County | Annual rainfall | FEMA risk rating | Median home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada County | 62.4" | Relatively Moderate | $602,800 |
| 2 | Placer County | 62.4" | Relatively Moderate | $658,800 |
| 3 | Sierra County | 62.4" | Very Low | $334,100 |
| 4 | Del Norte County | 58.0" | Relatively High | $319,600 |
| 5 | El Dorado County | 54.5" | Relatively Moderate | $640,500 |
| 6 | Mendocino County | 49.2" | Relatively High | $486,000 |
| 7 | Tuolumne County | 49.0" | Relatively Moderate | $406,200 |
| 8 | Plumas County | 41.7" | Relatively Moderate | $327,400 |
| 9 | Mariposa County | 40.4" | Relatively Moderate | $358,000 |
| 10 | Humboldt County | 40.4" | Relatively High | $418,800 |
| 11 | Napa County | 39.7" | Relatively High | $838,800 |
| 12 | Trinity County | 35.8" | Relatively Low | $329,000 |
| 13 | Lake County | 34.8" | Relatively Moderate | $316,800 |
| 14 | Marin County | 34.5" | Relatively High | $1,390,000 |
| 15 | Sonoma County | 33.8" | Relatively High | $779,000 |
| 16 | Shasta County | 33.5" | Relatively Moderate | $347,200 |
| 17 | Amador County | 32.0" | Relatively Low | $422,800 |
| 18 | Santa Cruz County | 30.6" | Relatively High | $1,015,200 |
| 19 | Calaveras County | 29.8" | Relatively Moderate | $441,800 |
| 20 | Contra Costa County | 26.1" | Very High | $830,800 |
| 21 | San Mateo County | 26.0" | Relatively High | $1,494,500 |
| 22 | Butte County | 25.7" | Relatively Moderate | $408,700 |
| 23 | Solano County | 24.8" | Relatively High | $589,600 |
| 24 | Tehama County | 23.1" | Relatively Moderate | $315,600 |
| 25 | San Francisco County | 22.9" | Very High | $1,380,500 |
| 26 | Glenn County | 21.4" | Relatively Low | $338,400 |
| 27 | Santa Barbara County | 21.1" | Relatively High | $735,700 |
| 28 | Yolo County | 20.5" | Relatively Moderate | $593,800 |
| 29 | Alpine County | 20.5" | Very Low | $466,100 |
| 30 | Sutter County | 20.1" | Relatively Moderate | $399,400 |
| 31 | Yuba County | 20.1" | Relatively Low | $380,000 |
| 32 | Sacramento County | 19.2" | Relatively High | $498,900 |
| 33 | San Luis Obispo County | 17.9" | Relatively High | $777,200 |
| 34 | Colusa County | 17.2" | Relatively Moderate | $375,100 |
| 35 | San Benito County | 16.6" | Relatively Moderate | $751,500 |
| 36 | Alameda County | 15.2" | Very High | $1,057,400 |
| 37 | Mono County | 15.1" | Relatively Low | $514,300 |
| 38 | San Diego County | 14.7" | Very High | $791,600 |
| 39 | Orange County | 14.1" | Very High | $915,500 |
| 40 | Los Angeles County | 13.9" | Very High | $783,300 |
| 41 | Santa Clara County | 13.5" | Very High | $1,382,800 |
| 42 | San Joaquin County | 13.4" | Relatively High | $494,500 |
| 43 | Lassen County | 13.0" | Relatively Low | $259,500 |
| 44 | Stanislaus County | 12.3" | Relatively High | $426,600 |
| 45 | Tulare County | 12.1" | Relatively High | $303,000 |
| 46 | Ventura County | 12.0" | Relatively High | $768,400 |
| 47 | Siskiyou County | 12.0" | Relatively Moderate | $284,500 |
| 48 | Monterey County | 11.8" | Relatively High | $723,100 |
| 49 | Modoc County | 11.7" | Very Low | $212,000 |
| 50 | Fresno County | 11.0" | Relatively High | $362,600 |
| 51 | Madera County | 10.8" | Relatively High | $367,700 |
| 52 | Merced County | 10.4" | Relatively High | $368,400 |
| 53 | Kings County | 7.5" | Relatively Moderate | $305,700 |
| 54 | Kern County | 6.4" | Relatively High | $310,600 |
| 55 | San Bernardino County | 3.8" | Very High | $475,000 |
| 56 | Riverside County | 3.0" | Very High | $510,300 |
| 57 | Imperial County | 2.4" | Relatively High | $279,500 |
| 58 | Inyo County | 1.9" | Relatively Low | $338,400 |
Every figure is modelled on the county's own median home with 20% down at 7.03%. Property tax and electricity are county and state specific; homeowners insurance uses the NAIC average premium for that state, which ranges from 0.16% of home value in Hawaii to 1.16% in Oklahoma. Maintenance and water are national estimates. Full methodology.
Nationwide
Wettest Counties across all 3,133 US counties · Every county in California