Natural hazards · Galveston

Galveston, TX natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Galveston comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 14,754 claims here since 1979. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Galveston?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Galveston to be higher than in 69% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding29%Cold waves25%Hurricanes25%Tornadoes9%Coastal flooding8%Everything else5%

By hazard

What Galveston faces

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

Inland flooding

29% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 52% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Cold waves

25% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Hurricanes

25% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Tornadoes

9% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 51% of U.S. places

Coastal flooding

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Lower here

HailIce 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 Galveston flood?

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

14,754paid claims since 1979

$775Mpaid to owners

655homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Ike: 10,338 claims, $718M
Hurricane Alicia: 1,380 claims, $12.3M
Hurricane Harvey: 411 claims, $15.2M

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 11 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (128) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 25% off flood insurance. Galveston 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

80homes raised above flood level

49flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

15buildings floodproofed

15buildings retrofitted against wind

1storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Galveston

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into GalvestonDeclared for Galveston County only

2024

Hurricane Beryl

9,197 households applied for aid $7.6M aid approved $5.4M to the City of Galveston for repairs

2021

Severe Winter Storms

2,319 households applied for aid $1.1M aid approved $1.2M to the City of Galveston for repairs

2020

Hurricane Laura

$667K to the City of Galveston for repairs

2017

Hurricane Harvey

6,154 households applied for aid $2.7M aid approved $1.9M to the City of Galveston for repairs

2015

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

10 households applied for aid $4K aid approved

2008

Hurricane Ike

28,436 households applied for aid $107M aid approved $119M to the City of Galveston for repairs

2005

Hurricane Rita

12,328 households applied for aid $7.2M aid approved $859K to the City of Galveston for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina Evacuation

$8K to the City of Galveston for repairs

2003

Hurricane Claudette

99 households applied for aid $128K aid approved $310K to the City of Galveston for repairs

2001

Tx-Tropical Storm Allison-06-06-2001

$55K to the City of Galveston for repairs

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

Around Galveston

Galveston and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Tiki Islandmostly cold wavesHigh

Galvestonmostly inland floodingHigh

Texas Citymostly cold wavesModerate

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. Galveston covers 23 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Galveston’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Galveston. 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 Galveston total about $35.4M 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.