How often do earthquakes happen in San Francisco?

Within 50 miles of San Francisco County, the catalog lists 105 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or more since 1973, about 2.0 a year. The largest since 1900 is magnitude 7.9, on April 18, 1906.

Magnitude 3 or more by year

Earthquakes of magnitude 3+ within 50 miles of San Francisco County

Earthquakes of magnitude 3+ within 50 miles of San Francisco County 1973: 2 1974: 21 1975: 19 1976: 30 1977: 37 1978: 16 1979: 28 1980: 58 1981: 18 1982: 15 1983: 13 1984: 41 1985: 13 1986: 49 1987: 28 1988: 19 1989: 105 105 1990: 35 1991: 17 1992: 8 1993: 11 1994: 8 1995: 6 1996: 5 1997: 28 1998: 11 1999: 6 2000: 11 2001: 8 2002: 14 2003: 18 2004: 12 2005: 7 2006: 11 2007: 13 2008: 12 2009: 10 2010: 11 2011: 17 2012: 5 2013: 6 2014: 10 2015: 20 2016: 6 2017: 10 2018: 13 2019: 12 2020: 9 2021: 13 2022: 13 2023: 8 2024: 7 2025: 27 19731978198319881993199820032008201320182023

The largest

The strongest 141 of 141 listed since 1900.

Largest earthquakes within 50 miles of San Francisco County
Apr 18, 19067.92.9The 1906 San Francisco, California Earthquake
Apr 24, 19846.246.9The 1984 Morgan Hill, California Earthquake
Aug 2, 19036.242.3Near San Jose, California
Jun 11, 19036.147.3Near San Jose, California
Aug 24, 20146.025.0The 2014 South Napa, California Earthquake
Jan 24, 19805.830.8The 1980 Livermore, California Earthquake
Sep 4, 19555.838.57 km NNW of Boulder Creek, California
Mar 31, 19865.740.515 km NE of East Foothills, California
Oct 30, 20075.537.86 km NNE of East Foothills, California
Oct 24, 19265.549.21 km WNW of Davenport, California
Nov 8, 19145.542.8Santa Cruz Mountains, California
Aug 8, 19895.446.14 km ESE of Lexington Hills, California
Jan 26, 19805.434.09 km NE of Livermore, California
May 19, 19025.441.4South of Elmira, California
Jun 27, 19885.348.28 km ESE of Lexington Hills, California
Jun 12, 19885.340.86 km E of East Foothills, California
Oct 1, 19695.338.6Northern California
Oct 1, 19695.337.63 km E of Bloomfield, California
Mar 22, 19575.33.0The 1957 San Francisco, California Earthquake
Oct 25, 20225.147.115km ESE of Alum Rock, CA
Oct 17, 19895.140.37 km SW of Monte Sereno, California
Jan 24, 19805.130.311 km E of Blackhawk, California
Dec 13, 19335.041.03 km SW of Los Gatos, California
Sep 3, 20004.935.65 km WSW of Yountville, California
Sep 10, 19654.931.71 km WNW of Antioch, California
Nov 3, 19324.940.15 km NW of Boulder Creek, California
May 28, 19274.925.5Northern California
Nov 9, 19884.842.07 km E of East Foothills, California
Jan 15, 19814.842.17 km E of East Foothills, California
Jan 24, 19804.830.111 km E of Blackhawk, California
May 7, 19794.848.315 km E of Seven Trees, California
Aug 8, 19284.836.21 km NNW of Buena Vista, California
May 21, 19964.743.08 km ESE of East Foothills, California
Aug 11, 19934.746.814 km ESE of Alum Rock, California
Oct 17, 19894.740.32 km SSW of Cambrian Park, California
Dec 11, 19584.73.67 km WNW of Broadmoor, California
Apr 2, 20264.643.81 km SE of Boulder Creek, CA
Aug 17, 19994.612.80 km S of Bolinas, California
Oct 17, 19894.643.01 km NNW of Lexington Hills, California
Jan 24, 19804.630.510 km SW of Brentwood, California
Jun 11, 19704.621.63 km SW of Blackhawk, California
Apr 25, 19684.645.54 km NNW of Santa Rosa, California
May 22, 19634.630.90 km W of Loma Mar, California
Feb 25, 19194.632.61 km NW of Fetters Hot Springs-Agua Caliente, California
Oct 14, 20194.518.31km SSE of Pleasant Hill, CA
Aug 2, 20064.535.85 km W of Glen Ellen, California
Aug 8, 19894.544.72 km E of Lexington Hills, California
Apr 3, 19894.538.06 km NE of East Foothills, California
Dec 16, 19544.511.52 km ESE of San Leandro, California
Dec 1, 19384.534.312 km NE of Milpitas, California
Mar 8, 19374.57.13 km SE of Piedmont, California
May 16, 19334.521.51 km ENE of Union City, California
Jun 14, 19324.535.95 km WSW of Saratoga, California
Apr 3, 19244.546.514 km ESE of East Foothills, California
Oct 7, 19154.55.4Near Piedmont, California
Dec 28, 19144.539.3Santa Cruz Mountains, California
Sep 12, 19124.528.8Santa Cruz Mountains, California
Feb 14, 19094.540.6Near Rio Vista, California
Jul 30, 19044.549.6Southwest of Woodland, California
Sep 13, 20224.445.13km N of Santa Rosa, CA
Jan 4, 20184.46.22km SE of Berkeley, CA
Feb 25, 20014.445.111 km ESE of East Foothills, California
Apr 27, 19904.420.43 km SSE of North Gate, California
Apr 6, 19904.419.93 km SSE of North Gate, California
Oct 21, 19874.431.912 km N of Livermore, California
Sep 26, 19844.444.811 km ESE of East Foothills, California
Mar 3, 19814.426.25 km E of Fremont, California
Jan 24, 19804.431.310 km SW of Brentwood, California
Apr 27, 19794.45.12 km N of Pacifica, California
Jun 20, 19774.437.710 km ESE of Livermore, California
Apr 4, 19564.446.64 km W of Deer Park, California
Sep 22, 20254.36.62 km ESE of Berkeley, CA
Sep 13, 20224.345.44km N of Santa Rosa, CA
Jul 16, 20194.331.312km WSW of Byron, CA
Oct 19, 19894.349.38 km NW of Day Valley, California
Oct 17, 19894.342.53 km WNW of Lexington Hills, California
Oct 17, 19894.345.03 km SSW of Lexington Hills, California
Oct 17, 19894.343.21 km WNW of Lexington Hills, California
Oct 17, 19894.341.75 km WNW of Lexington Hills, California
Aug 8, 19894.346.44 km ESE of Lexington Hills, California
Jun 21, 19894.332.04 km NE of Pittsburg, California
Dec 30, 19884.348.715 km E of Seven Trees, California
Mar 26, 19844.311.73 km ENE of San Leandro, California
Aug 18, 19824.347.413km W of Bonny Doon, CA
Aug 6, 19794.344.86km NNE of Mountain House, CA
Jan 8, 19774.313.15 km NNE of Orinda, California
Jun 10, 19744.347.22 km SE of Larkfield-Wikiup, California
Feb 2, 20264.221.14 km SE of San Ramon, CA
Oct 18, 20234.244.35 km SW of Isleton, CA
Jul 20, 20074.27.54 km ESE of Piedmont, California
Mar 1, 20074.214.21 km NNE of Lafayette, California
Sep 22, 19994.238.67 km WSW of Kenwood, California
Apr 27, 19904.219.64 km SSE of North Gate, California
Nov 7, 19894.238.22 km W of Monte Sereno, California
Oct 17, 19894.246.35 km SSW of Lexington Hills, California
Oct 17, 19894.243.41 km W of Lexington Hills, California
Oct 10, 19864.220.01 km SSW of Diablo, California
May 3, 19844.249.516 km N of Morgan Hill, California
Sep 17, 19784.238.637km SSW of Half Moon Bay, CA
Nov 12, 19734.240.94 km SW of Los Gatos, California
Mar 23, 19574.21.0Near Daly City, California (Aftershock)
Jun 2, 20224.126.17km NW of Bay Point, CA
Oct 9, 20174.147.114 km ESE of East Foothills, California
May 21, 20154.140.45 km WSW of Moskowite Corner, California
Jan 7, 20114.148.815 km E of Seven Trees, California
Sep 5, 20084.118.63km ENE of Alamo, CA
May 8, 20054.138.37 km SSE of Moskowite Corner, California
May 25, 20034.143.82 km NE of Santa Rosa, California
Apr 20, 19914.142.111 km ENE of East Foothills, California
Jun 30, 19904.139.06 km NE of East Foothills, California
Oct 17, 19894.149.58 km NNW of Day Valley, California
Dec 11, 19864.139.116 km SSE of Livermore, California
Mar 29, 19864.19.42 km W of Orinda, California
Mar 17, 19844.133.310 km NNE of Livermore, CA
Apr 25, 19814.149.68 km N of Day Valley, California
Jan 27, 19804.130.011 km E of Blackhawk, California
Aug 28, 19784.143.69 km ESE of East Foothills, California
Dec 14, 20254.036.66 km W of Glen Ellen, CA
Aug 17, 20154.06.41 km N of Piedmont, California
Jan 7, 20104.035.011 km ENE of Milpitas, California
Sep 4, 20034.07.12 km NNE of Piedmont, California
Feb 2, 20034.021.24 km SE of San Ramon, California
Feb 2, 20034.021.54 km N of Dublin, California
Jun 26, 19944.07.70 km NW of Kensington, California
Feb 15, 19924.039.913 km SSW of Mountain House, California
Mar 10, 19914.031.73 km NNE of Livermore, California
Oct 20, 19894.040.37 km WNW of Lexington Hills, California
Oct 17, 19894.045.13 km SSW of Lexington Hills, California
Oct 17, 19894.043.42 km W of Lexington Hills, California
Oct 17, 19894.043.70 km WSW of Lexington Hills, California
Oct 17, 19894.041.13 km SSW of Los Gatos, California
May 10, 19874.07.94 km ESE of Piedmont, California
Dec 29, 19864.036.18 km NNE of East Foothills, California
Sep 2, 19864.049.316 km E of Seven Trees, California
Aug 24, 19804.038.715 km SSE of Livermore, California
Jan 24, 19804.031.011 km WSW of Byron, California
Jan 8, 19774.013.15 km NNE of Orinda, California
Aug 20, 19764.020.02 km NNE of San Ramon, California
Jan 2, 19704.032.75 km WSW of Cupertino, California
Oct 26, 19174.043.0Near San Jose, California
Aug 8, 19164.049.7Santa Cruz Mountains, California