Natural hazards · Stafford

Stafford, TX natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Stafford comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 77 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 Stafford?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Stafford to be higher than in 66% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding58%Hurricanes23%Tornadoes11%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Stafford faces

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

Inland flooding

58% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 73% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

23% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Tornadoes

11% of expected damage

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

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Stafford flood?

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

77paid claims since 1981

$1.8Mpaid to owners

12homes flooded more than once

19812026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Harvey: 23 claims, $1.1M
Tropical Storm Allison: 12 claims, $129K
Early summer storms: 6 claims, $136K

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. Stafford 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.

Disasters that hit Stafford

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into StaffordDeclared for Fort Bend County only

2024

Hurricane Beryl

5,453 households applied for aid $3.9M aid approved $319K to the City of Stafford for repairs

2021

Severe Winter Storms

858 households applied for aid $265K aid approved $66K to the City of Stafford for repairs

2020

Tropical Storms Marco and Laura

$5K to the City of Stafford for repairs

2017

Hurricane Harvey

2,784 households applied for aid $985K aid approved $772K to the City of Stafford for repairs

2016

Severe Storms and Flooding

57 households applied for aid $51K aid approved

2015

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding

122 households applied for aid $345K aid approved

2008

Hurricane Ike

2,084 households applied for aid $378K aid approved $265K to the City of Stafford for repairs

2005

Hurricane Rita

316 households applied for aid $101K aid approved $57K to the City of Stafford for repairs

2002

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

3 households applied for aid $10K aid approved

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

Around Stafford

Stafford and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Meadows Placemostly inland floodingVery high

Missouri Citymostly inland floodingHigh

Staffordmostly inland floodingHigh

Fifth Streetmostly inland floodingModerate

Sugar Landmostly 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. Stafford covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Stafford’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Stafford. 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 Stafford total about $11.4M 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.