Natural hazards · Hitchcock

Hitchcock, TX natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Hitchcock comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1,273 claims here since 1979. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Hitchcock?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Hitchcock to be higher than in 75% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding23%Cold waves22%Hurricanes18%Drought14%Coastal flooding10%Tornadoes8%Everything else5%

By hazard

What Hitchcock faces

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

Inland flooding

23% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 58% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Cold waves

22% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Hurricanes

18% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Drought

14% of expected damage

Recorded about 21 times a year in the area

Coastal flooding

10% of expected damage

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

Tornadoes

8% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 44 years in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

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 Hitchcock flood?

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

1,273paid claims since 1979

$40.1Mpaid to owners

107homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Harvey: 303 claims, $22.7M
Hurricane Alicia: 290 claims, $3.0M
Hurricane Ike: 206 claims, $8.9M

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 2 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (18) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 10% off flood insurance. Hitchcock is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 8) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Galveston County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

47homes raised above flood level

9flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Hitchcock

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into HitchcockDeclared for Galveston County only

2024

Hurricane Beryl

1,979 households applied for aid $2.8M aid approved $463K to the City of Hitchcock for repairs

2021

Severe Winter Storms

371 households applied for aid $275K aid approved $108K to the City of Hitchcock for repairs

2017

Hurricane Harvey

2,135 households applied for aid $5.4M aid approved $1.4M to the City of Hitchcock for repairs

2015

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

3 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

2008

Hurricane Ike

2,602 households applied for aid $8.9M aid approved $1.0M to the City of Hitchcock for repairs

2005

Hurricane Rita

1,727 households applied for aid $844K aid approved $35K to the City of Hitchcock for repairs

2003

Hurricane Claudette

15 households applied for aid $25K aid approved

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

Around Hitchcock

Hitchcock and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Hitchcockmostly inland floodingHigh

Bayou Vistamostly cold wavesHigh

Tiki Islandmostly cold wavesHigh

Alvinmostly inland floodingHigh

Santa Femostly inland floodingHigh

La Marquemostly cold wavesHigh

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. Hitchcock covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Hitchcock’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Hitchcock. 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 Hitchcock total about $8.0M 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.