Natural hazards · Friendswood

Friendswood, TX natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Friendswood comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 4,386 claims here since 1978. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Friendswood?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Friendswood to be higher than in 78% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding46%Hurricanes21%Cold waves18%Tornadoes10%Everything else5%

By hazard

What Friendswood faces

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

Inland flooding

46% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

21% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Cold waves

18% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Tornadoes

10% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 53% of U.S. places

Lower here

Coastal floodingHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Friendswood flood?

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

4,386paid claims since 1978

$380Mpaid to owners

394homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Harvey: 1,585 claims, $294M
Tropical Storm Claudette: 893 claims, $26.5M
Tropical Storm Allison: 591 claims, $32.5M

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 7 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (179) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Galveston County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

287flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

51homes raised above flood level

1storm safe rooms built

1flood-prone homes bought out and moved

1buildings retrofitted against wind

Disasters that hit Friendswood

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into FriendswoodDeclared for Galveston County only

2024

Hurricane Beryl

4,339 households applied for aid $2.7M aid approved $2.8M to the City of Friendswood for repairs

2021

Severe Winter Storms

736 households applied for aid $365K aid approved $288K to the City of Friendswood for repairs

2017

Hurricane Harvey

5,050 households applied for aid $20.9M aid approved $9.6M to the City of Friendswood for repairs

2015

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

62 households applied for aid $15K aid approved

2008

Hurricane Ike

4,580 households applied for aid $557K aid approved $8.5M to the City of Friendswood for repairs

2005

Hurricane Rita

1,530 households applied for aid $369K aid approved $206K to the City of Friendswood for repairs

2001

Tx-Tropical Storm Allison-06-06-2001

$320K to the City of Friendswood for repairs

Galveston County has had 25 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and floods.

Around Friendswood

Friendswood and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Houstonmostly inland floodingVery high

Friendswoodmostly inland floodingHigh

Pearlandmostly inland floodingHigh

League Citymostly inland floodingHigh

Alvinmostly inland floodingHigh

Webstermostly 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. Friendswood covers 7 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Friendswood’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Friendswood. 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 Friendswood total about $23.0M 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.