Natural hazards · Baytown

Baytown, TX natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Baytown comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2,678 claims here since 1978. 15 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Baytown?

High

vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding43%Tornadoes23%Hurricanes21%Cold waves7%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Baytown faces

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

Inland flooding

43% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 78% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

23% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 65% of U.S. places

Hurricanes

21% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Cold waves

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

DroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Baytown flood?

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

2,678paid claims since 1978

$154Mpaid to owners

179homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Harvey: 786 claims, $102M
Hurricane Alicia: 488 claims, $17.8M
Tropical Storm Claudette: 248 claims, $1.7M

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 3 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (48) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 25% off flood insurance. Baytown is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 5) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Harris County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

4flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

1storm safe rooms built

1buildings floodproofed

1buildings retrofitted against wind

1flood-prone homes bought out and moved

Disasters that hit Baytown

15 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BaytownDeclared for Harris County only

2024

Hurricane Beryl

18,700 households applied for aid $16.7M aid approved $2.9M to the City of Baytown for repairs

2024

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding

2,437 households applied for aid $1.7M aid approved

2021

Severe Winter Storms

3,863 households applied for aid $1.5M aid approved $44K to the City of Baytown for repairs

2020

Tropical Storms Marco and Laura

$27K to the City of Baytown for repairs

2019

Tropical Storm Imelda

196 households applied for aid $76K aid approved

2017

Hurricane Harvey

14,598 households applied for aid $37.5M aid approved $3.4M to the City of Baytown for repairs

2016

Severe Storms and Flooding

59 households applied for aid $87K aid approved

2015

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding

79 households applied for aid $47K aid approved

2008

Hurricane Ike

17,150 households applied for aid $10.2M aid approved $20.5M to the City of Baytown for repairs

2007

Hurricane Dean

$2K to the City of Baytown for repairs

2007

Tropical Storm Erin

5 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

2005

Hurricane Rita

13,087 households applied for aid $4.7M aid approved $942K to the City of Baytown for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina Evacuation

$3.2M to the City of Baytown for repairs

2002

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

5 households applied for aid $23K aid approved

2001

Tx-Tropical Storm Allison-06-06-2001

$25K to the City of Baytown for repairs

Harris County has had 34 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and hurricanes.

Around Baytown

Baytown and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Houstonmostly inland floodingVery high

Baytownmostly inland floodingHigh

Mont Belvieumostly inland floodingHigh

Beach Citymostly inland floodingHigh

Highlandsmostly inland floodingHigh

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. Baytown covers 12 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Baytown’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Baytown. 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 Baytown total about $22.4M 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.