Natural hazards · Canton

Canton, TX natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Canton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 1979. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Canton?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Canton to be higher than in 30% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding49%Tornadoes16%Cold waves11%Strong wind7%Heat waves6%Hail5%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Canton faces

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

Inland flooding

49% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 37% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

16% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 75% of U.S. places

Cold waves

11% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Strong wind

7% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Heat waves

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Recorded about 16 times a year in the area

Hail

5% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightning

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 Canton flood?

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

2paid claims since 1979

$86Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Dallas Flash Floods: 1 claim, $85K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Van Zandt County.

Disasters that hit Canton

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CantonDeclared for Van Zandt County only

2024

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

371 households applied for aid $1.1M aid approved

2021

Severe Winter Storms

108 households applied for aid $75K aid approved

2015

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding

20 households applied for aid $14K aid approved

2007

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

10 households applied for aid $4K aid approved $15K to the City of Canton for repairs

Van Zandt County has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

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. Canton covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Canton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Canton. 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 Canton total about $2.1M 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.