Natural hazards · Richwood

Richwood, TX natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Richwood comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 251 claims here since 1979. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Richwood?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Richwood to be higher than in 73% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding51%Hurricanes26%Tornadoes11%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Richwood faces

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

Inland flooding

51% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 69% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

26% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Tornadoes

11% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 53% of U.S. places

Lower here

Coastal floodingHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

DroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Richwood flood?

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

251paid claims since 1979

$18.8Mpaid to owners

12homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Harvey: 156 claims, $18.0M
Tropical Storm Claudette: 11 claims, $16K
Tropical Storm Paul: 6 claims, $98K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (4) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Brazoria County.

Disasters that hit Richwood

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into RichwoodDeclared for Brazoria County only

2024

Hurricane Beryl

1,038 households applied for aid $811K aid approved $912K to the City of Richwood for repairs

2021

Severe Winter Storms

51 households applied for aid $25K aid approved $22K to the City of Richwood for repairs

2017

Hurricane Harvey

966 households applied for aid $3.2M aid approved $241K to the City of Richwood for repairs

2016

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid

2015

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding

2 households applied for aid

2008

Hurricane Ike

600 households applied for aid $67K aid approved $242K to the City of Richwood for repairs

2005

Hurricane Rita

5 households applied for aid

Brazoria County has had 28 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and floods.

Around Richwood

Richwood and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Richwoodmostly inland floodingHigh

Lake Jacksonmostly inland floodingHigh

Clutemostly hurricanesModerate

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. Richwood covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Richwood’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Richwood. 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 Richwood total about $1.5M 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.