Natural hazards · Orange

Orange, TX natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Orange comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1,555 claims here since 1979. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Orange?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Orange to be higher than in 83% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes39%Inland flooding33%Tornadoes12%Everything else17%

By hazard

What Orange 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 7 years in the area

Inland flooding

33% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

12% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 72% 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 Orange flood?

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

1,555paid claims since 1979

$142Mpaid to owners

191homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Harvey: 708 claims, $92.4M
Hurricane Ike: 497 claims, $35.1M
Tropical Storm Imelda: 73 claims, $7.4M

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 4 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (24) ■ flooded 2+ times

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Orange County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

94homes raised above flood level

88flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

8buildings retrofitted against wind

Disasters that hit Orange

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into OrangeDeclared for Orange County only

2024

Hurricane Beryl

3,004 households applied for aid $2.2M aid approved

2021

Severe Winter Storms

800 households applied for aid $366K aid approved

2019

Tropical Storm Imelda

1,179 households applied for aid $3.7M aid approved

2017

Hurricane Harvey

16,866 households applied for aid $65.5M aid approved $4.9M to the City of Orange for repairs

2016

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

1,843 households applied for aid $7.4M aid approved $247K to the City of Orange for repairs

2008

Hurricane Ike

15,055 households applied for aid $29.0M aid approved $1.9M to the City of Orange for repairs

2008

Hurricane Gustav

$71K to the City of Orange for repairs

2005

Hurricane Rita

25,208 households applied for aid $55.4M aid approved $1.5M to the City of Orange for repairs

2002

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

192 households applied for aid $441K aid approved

Orange County has had 24 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and floods.

Around Orange

Orange and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Orangemostly hurricanesVery high

West Orangemostly hurricanesVery high

Bridge Citymostly hurricanesVery high

Little Cypressmostly hurricanesHigh

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. Orange covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Orange’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Orange. 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 Orange total about $8.2M 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.