Natural hazards · Waco

Waco, TX natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Waco comes from tornadoes, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 113 claims here since 1979. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Waco?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Waco to be higher than in 12% of U.S. communities, mostly from tornadoes and inland flooding.

Tornadoes36%Inland flooding34%Cold waves15%Heat waves8%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Waco faces

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

Tornadoes

36% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 71% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

34% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 23% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

15% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Heat waves

8% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 17 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce 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 Waco flood?

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

113paid claims since 1979

$2.5Mpaid to owners

8homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

2026-06-Arthur-TS: 14 claims, $1.1M
Early summer severe storms: 3 claims, $97K
Texas Spring Flooding: 2 claims, $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. Waco isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: McLennan County.

Disasters that hit Waco

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WacoDeclared for McLennan County only

2021

Severe Winter Storms

2,324 households applied for aid $1.3M aid approved $188K to the City of Waco for repairs

2015

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding

$878K to the City of Waco for repairs

2007

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$807K to the City of Waco for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina Evacuation

$372K to the City of Waco for repairs

McLennan County has had 18 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

Around Waco

Waco and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

China Springmostly inland floodingLow

Hewittmostly inland floodingLow

McGregormostly inland floodingVery low

Lacy-Lakeviewmostly tornadoesVery low

Wacomostly tornadoesVery low

Robinsonmostly tornadoesVery low

Woodwaymostly tornadoesVery low

Bellmeadmostly tornadoesVery 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. Waco covers 32 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Waco’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Waco. 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 Waco total about $43.0M 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.