Natural hazards · Odem

Odem, TX natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Odem comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 39 claims here since 1980. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Odem?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Odem to be higher than in 65% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes39%Inland flooding25%Cold waves16%Tornadoes10%Heat waves6%Everything else5%

By hazard

What Odem faces

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

Hurricanes

39% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 8 years in the area

Inland flooding

25% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 19% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Cold waves

16% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

10% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 55% of U.S. places

Heat waves

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 65% of U.S. places

Recorded about 14 times a year in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingLandslidesAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Odem flood?

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

39paid claims since 1980

$199Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19802026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Allen: 3 claims, $2K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: San Patricio County.

Disasters that hit Odem

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into OdemDeclared for San Patricio County only

2021

Severe Winter Storms

171 households applied for aid $113K aid approved

2017

Hurricane Harvey

703 households applied for aid $249K aid approved $22K to the City of Odem for repairs

2007

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

57 households applied for aid $57K aid approved

2003

Hurricane Claudette

23 households applied for aid $9K aid approved

2002

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

105 households applied for aid $240K aid approved

1999

Hurricane Bret

$7K to the City of Odem for repairs

San Patricio County has had 29 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and floods.

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. Odem covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Odem’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Odem. 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 Odem total about $1.1M 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.