Natural hazards · Richmond

Richmond, TX natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Richmond comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 148 claims here since 1981. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Richmond?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Richmond to be higher than in 57% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding43%Hurricanes21%Tornadoes20%Heat waves6%Cold waves5%Everything else5%

By hazard

What Richmond faces

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

Inland flooding

43% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 61% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

21% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Tornadoes

20% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 58% of U.S. places

Heat waves

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 66% of U.S. places

Recorded about 14 times a year in the area

Cold waves

5% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Lower here

HailIce 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 Richmond flood?

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

148paid claims since 1981

$4.4Mpaid to owners

27homes flooded more than once

19812026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Harvey: 39 claims, $2.1M
Early summer storms: 15 claims, $230K
Early summer severe storms: 9 claims, $611K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (6) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Fort Bend County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

8flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

3storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Richmond

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into RichmondDeclared for Fort Bend County only

2024

Hurricane Beryl

26,398 households applied for aid $18.1M aid approved $198K to the City of Richmond for repairs

2021

Severe Winter Storms

3,785 households applied for aid $1.1M aid approved $51K to the City of Richmond for repairs

2017

Hurricane Harvey

12,343 households applied for aid $24.7M aid approved $573K to the City of Richmond for repairs

2016

Severe Storms and Flooding

547 households applied for aid $1.4M aid approved $139K to the City of Richmond for repairs

2015

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding

119 households applied for aid $237K aid approved

2008

Hurricane Ike

2,332 households applied for aid $179K aid approved $97K to the City of Richmond for repairs

2005

Hurricane Rita

228 households applied for aid $46K aid approved $51K to the City of Richmond for repairs

2002

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

3 households applied for aid $6K aid approved

2001

Tx-Tropical Storm Allison-06-06-2001

$7K to the City of Richmond for repairs

Fort Bend County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and floods.

Around Richmond

Richmond and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Cumingsmostly inland floodingHigh

Richmondmostly inland floodingModerate

Sugar Landmostly inland floodingModerate

Pecan Grovemostly inland floodingModerate

Rosenbergmostly 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. Richmond covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Richmond’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Richmond. 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 Richmond total about $1.8M 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.