Check the LandCheck a location

Check land in California before you buy

Flood zone, slope, soils, wetlands, roads, power and wildfire for any point in California, written up in plain English with the source next to every value. Check the Land, powered by Isopleth.
Check a location in CaliforniaSee a sample report

What the $29 report covers in California

You drop a pin or enter an address anywhere in California. The screen asks about 75 questions of public datasets at that point and within stated search radii, then explains each answer and names its source.

  • Hazards: FEMA flood zone and floodplain, wildfire, tornado and hail frequency, landslide, seismic and wind design values
  • Terrain & soils: slope, elevation, soil drainage and farmland class
  • Infrastructure & access: nearest roads, high-voltage lines, substations and gas pipelines, water and sewer service, fire stations, hospitals and schools
  • Environment: wetlands and streams, protected land and critical habitat, Superfund, brownfield and leaking-tank sites, dams
  • California only: CAL FIRE fire-hazard severity zones

The free preview checks coverage first: how many checks returned a value at your point and which sources had nothing there. If too much core data is missing, it says so rather than selling you a thin report. How it works.

Real example values in California

These are values the Isopleth API (the data engine behind the report) returned on 2026-10-29 at the Census Bureau's interior point of California's 3 largest counties by land area. They show what the report reads, not what your land has: values change within a few hundred feet, so check your own pin.

CheckSan Bernardino CountyInyo CountyKern County
Hazards
FEMA flood zoneDXX
Inside a mapped floodplainNoNoNo
Wildfire frequency (tract average)0.00082 a year0.0022 a year0.018 a year
Tornado frequency (tract average)0.13 a year0.070 a year0.014 a year
Hail frequency (tract average)0.068 a year0.022 a year0.095 a year
Terrain & soils
Elevation1,298 ft (396 m)5,026 ft (1,532 m)1,225 ft (373 m)
Slope0.0°24.9°14.9°
Soil drainageSomewhat excessively drainedWell drainedWell drained
Farmland classPrimePrimePrime
Infrastructure & access
Nearest major road9.1 mi (14.6 km)10.5 mi (16.9 km)3.8 mi (6.2 km)
Nearest substation12.7 mi (20.4 km)32.0 mi (51.4 km)5.5 mi (8.9 km)
Nearest interstate gas pipeline4.3 mi (6.9 km)63.6 mi (102.4 km)1.6 mi (2.6 km)
In a public water service areaNoNoNo
Nearest fire stationno datano data9.8 mi (15.8 km)
Nearest hospitalno datano data11.0 mi (17.8 km)
Nearest schoolno datano data7.2 mi (11.5 km)
Environment
On a mapped wetlandYesNoNo
Nearest mapped wetland0 m (0 ft)412 m (1,351 ft)58 m (190 ft)
On protected landYesYesNo

Frequencies are FEMA National Risk Index annual averages for the Census tract. "No data" means that dataset had nothing at that point, and the report would list it as a gap.

What it can't tell you

  • It doesn't look at the whole parcel, its boundaries, title, easements, zoning or permits.
  • It isn't a survey, appraisal, elevation certificate, soil or perc test, or Phase I environmental site assessment.
  • It can't see local distribution power lines, driveways, legal access, wells or mineral rights.
  • Maps lag behind the ground, and distances are straight-line, not driving distance.

Common questions

Does Check the Land work in California?

Yes. The screen runs at any point in California that you choose by address or coordinates. Coverage varies from place to place, so the free preview shows which checks returned data at your point before you pay.

Is the FEMA flood map available everywhere in California?

A FEMA flood zone came back at all 3 of our sample points in California, but some rural areas have no digital FEMA map. The preview tells you if your point is one of them, and the report then says the flood zone is unknown rather than calling it safe.

What does the $29 report check in California?

About 75 checks at your point and set search radii: flood zone and floodplain, slope, elevation and soils, wetlands and streams, protected land and critical habitat, wildfire, tornado and hail frequency, the nearest roads (one came back at all 3 of our sample points), transmission lines, substations and gas pipelines, water and sewer service areas, nearby fire stations, hospitals and schools, and EPA-listed sites such as Superfund and leaking tanks. In California it also checks CAL FIRE fire-hazard severity zones.

Is this a survey, title search or Phase I?

No. It is a preliminary screen of mapped public data at one point. It does not look at the whole parcel, its boundaries, title, easements, zoning or permits, and it is not a survey, appraisal, soil or perc test or Phase I environmental site assessment.

How much does it cost?

The preview is free. The full report is $29 per location (initial test price), one payment with no subscription.

Looking at land in California?

Run the free preview first. It shows what data exists at your point. The full report is $29 (initial test price). Questions: [email protected].

Check a location and orderPricing