Natural hazards · Houston

Houston, TX natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Houston comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 71,124 claims here since 1978. 14 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Houston?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Houston to be higher than in 80% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding54%Hurricanes20%Tornadoes17%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Houston faces

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

Inland flooding

54% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

20% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Tornadoes

17% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 63% of U.S. places

Lower here

Coastal floodingHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat 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 Houston flood?

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

71,124paid claims since 1978

$4,788Mpaid to owners

11,098homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Harvey: 22,597 claims, $3,000M
Tropical Storm Allison: 11,493 claims, $511M
Early summer storms: 4,392 claims, $344M

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 185 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (2,960) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 30% off flood insurance. Houston is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 4) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Harris County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

4,078flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

552homes raised above flood level

39buildings retrofitted against wind

27buildings floodproofed

5flood-prone homes bought out and moved

1storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Houston

14 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into HoustonDeclared for Harris County only

2024

Hurricane Beryl

480,336 households applied for aid $412M aid approved $62.4M to the City of Houston for repairs

2024

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

133,972 households applied for aid $106M aid approved $35.1M to the City of Houston for repairs

2021

Severe Winter Storms

102,893 households applied for aid $51.3M aid approved $6.5M to the City of Houston for repairs

2019

Tropical Storm Imelda

6,021 households applied for aid $6.7M aid approved

2017

Hurricane Harvey

339,577 households applied for aid $545M aid approved $436M to the City of Houston for repairs

2016

Severe Storms and Flooding

16,971 households applied for aid $37.0M aid approved $12.2M to the City of Houston for repairs

2015

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding

11,421 households applied for aid $23.5M aid approved $8.7M to the City of Houston for repairs

2008

Hurricane Ike

270,177 households applied for aid $106M aid approved $182M to the City of Houston for repairs

2007

Tropical Storm Erin

212 households applied for aid $279K aid approved

2005

Hurricane Rita

51,031 households applied for aid $17.2M aid approved $10.1M to the City of Houston for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina Evacuation

$307M to the City of Houston for repairs

2002

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

2,689 households applied for aid $11.2M aid approved

2001

Tx-Tropical Storm Allison-06-06-2001

$23.4M to the City of Houston for repairs

1998

Tx-Flooding 10/18/98

$89K to the City of Houston for repairs

Harris County has had 34 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and hurricanes.

Around Houston

Houston and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Brookside Villagemostly inland floodingVery high

Mission Bendmostly inland floodingVery high

Four Cornersmostly inland floodingVery high

Houstonmostly inland floodingVery high

Pearlandmostly inland floodingHigh

Channelviewmostly inland floodingHigh

Atascocitamostly inland floodingHigh

Pasadenamostly inland floodingHigh

Webstermostly inland floodingHigh

Springmostly inland floodingHigh

Fresnomostly inland floodingHigh

Humblemostly inland floodingHigh

Cinco Ranchmostly inland floodingModerate

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. Houston covers 655 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Houston’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Houston. 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 Houston total about $1,166M 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.