Natural hazards · Houston

Houston, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Houston comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 64 claims here since 1979. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Houston?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Houston to be higher than in 73% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding94%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Houston faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

94% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 91% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Houston flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Houston, from FEMA’s records.

64paid claims since 1979

$1.7Mpaid to owners

6homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Ivan: 16 claims, $527K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Houston isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Washington County.

Disasters that hit Houston

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Houston itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Borough of Houston.

Brought FEMA money into HoustonDeclared for Washington County only

2004

Tropical Depression Ivan

119 households applied for aid $654K aid approved

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding Associated With Tropical Depression Frances

5 households applied for aid $30K aid approved

Washington County has had 12 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Houston

Houston and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Houstonmostly inland floodingHigh

Canonsburgmostly inland floodingLow

Chartiersmostly inland floodingLow

North Strabanemostly inland floodingVery low

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Houston covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Houston’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Houston. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Houston total about $422K a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.