Natural hazards · Gonzales

Gonzales, TX natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Gonzales comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 82 claims here since 1981. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Gonzales?

High

vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding86%Everything else15%

By hazard

What Gonzales faces

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

Inland flooding

86% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 3 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 Gonzales flood?

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

82paid claims since 1981

$2.3Mpaid to owners

5homes flooded more than once

19812026

Biggest named events

Early summer storms: 8 claims, $64K
Torrential rain: 2 claims, $95K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Gonzales County.

Disasters that hit Gonzales

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into GonzalesDeclared for Gonzales County only

2021

Severe Winter Storms

59 households applied for aid $7K aid approved $12K to the City of Gonzales for repairs

2017

Hurricane Harvey

333 households applied for aid $188K aid approved $187K to the City of Gonzales for repairs

2015

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding

$94K to the City of Gonzales for repairs

2002

Severe Storms and Flooding

$57K to the City of Gonzales for repairs

1998

Tx-Flooding 10/18/98

$219K to the City of Gonzales for repairs

Gonzales County has had 18 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods 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. Gonzales covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Gonzales’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Gonzales. 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 Gonzales total about $8.9M 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.