Natural hazards · Socorro

Socorro, TX natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Socorro comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 2004. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Socorro?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Socorro to be higher than in 10% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and heat waves.

Inland flooding44%Heat waves16%Hail12%Lightning8%Drought7%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Socorro 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

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Heat waves

16% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 9 times a year in the area

Hail

12% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Lightning

8% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 70% of U.S. places

Drought

7% of expected damage

Recorded about 28 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong wind

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 Socorro flood?

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

1paid claims since 2004

$2Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20042026

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: El Paso County.

Disasters that hit Socorro

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SocorroDeclared for El Paso County only

2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

155 households applied for aid $65K aid approved $204K to the City of Socorro for repairs

El Paso County has had 11 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and fires.

Around Socorro

Socorro and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

El Pasomostly inland floodingLow

Socorromostly inland floodingVery low

San Elizariomostly 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. Socorro covers 7 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Socorro’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Socorro. 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 Socorro total about $3.5M 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.