Natural hazards · Red Oak

Red Oak, TX natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Red Oak comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 7 claims here since 1998. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Red Oak?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Red Oak to be higher than in 20% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding44%Cold waves17%Tornadoes15%Hail9%Heat waves9%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Red Oak 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 29% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

17% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

15% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 68% of U.S. places

Hail

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 91% of U.S. places

Recorded about 9 times a year in the area

Heat waves

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 77% of U.S. places

Recorded about 17 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 Red Oak flood?

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

7paid claims since 1998

$306Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19982026

Biggest named events

Dallas Flash Floods: 1 claim, $25K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Ellis County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

5storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Red Oak

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Red OakDeclared for Ellis County only

2024

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

164 households applied for aid $170K aid approved

2021

Severe Winter Storms

453 households applied for aid $192K aid approved $178K to the City of Red Oak for repairs

2015

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

$17K to the City of Red Oak for repairs

2015

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding

13 households applied for aid $20K aid approved

2007

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$4K to the City of Red Oak for repairs

Ellis County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and fires.

Around Red Oak

Red Oak and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Oak Leafmostly inland floodingHigh

Lancastermostly heat wavesModerate

Glenn Heightsmostly heat wavesModerate

Pecan Hillmostly inland floodingLow

Red Oakmostly inland floodingLow

Waxahachiemostly inland floodingVery low

Ferrismostly inland floodingVery low

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. Red Oak covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Red Oak’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Red Oak. 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 Red Oak total about $2.4M 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.