Natural hazards · Kaufman

Kaufman, TX natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Kaufman comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 1990. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Kaufman?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Kaufman to be higher than in 27% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding44%Tornadoes15%Heat waves14%Cold waves13%Hail8%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Kaufman faces

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

Inland flooding

44% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 28% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

15% of expected damage

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

Heat waves

14% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 82% of U.S. places

Recorded about 17 times a year in the area

Cold waves

13% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hail

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Kaufman flood?

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

3paid claims since 1990

$67Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19902026

Biggest named events

Texas Spring Flooding: 1 claim, $28K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Kaufman County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

6storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Kaufman

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into KaufmanDeclared for Kaufman County only

2024

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

575 households applied for aid $1.5M aid approved $242K to the City of Kaufman for repairs

2021

Severe Winter Storms

152 households applied for aid $109K aid approved

2015

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding

$33K to the City of Kaufman for repairs

Kaufman County has had 15 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms 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. Kaufman covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Kaufman’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Kaufman. 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 Kaufman total about $1.4M 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.