Natural hazards · Wharton

Wharton, TX natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Wharton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 339 claims here since 1979. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Wharton?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Wharton to be higher than in 77% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding34%Hurricanes33%Cold waves18%Tornadoes7%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Wharton faces

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

Inland flooding

34% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 62% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

33% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 10 years in the area

Cold waves

18% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Tornadoes

7% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 70 years in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat 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 Wharton flood?

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

339paid claims since 1979

$15.7Mpaid to owners

35homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Harvey: 176 claims, $11.2M
Spring severe storms: 17 claims, $576K
Early summer severe storms: 2 claims, $28K

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

🏷️ 05% off flood insurance. Wharton is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 9) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Wharton County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

10homes raised above flood level

9flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

3buildings retrofitted against wind

1storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Wharton

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WhartonDeclared for Wharton County only

2024

Hurricane Beryl

2,680 households applied for aid $3.3M aid approved $652K to the City of Wharton for repairs

2021

Severe Winter Storms

375 households applied for aid $217K aid approved $15K to the City of Wharton for repairs

2017

Hurricane Harvey

3,558 households applied for aid $12.0M aid approved $1.7M to the City of Wharton for repairs

2016

Severe Storms and Flooding

212 households applied for aid $335K aid approved $1.3M to the City of Wharton for repairs

2015

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding

25 households applied for aid $11K aid approved $13K to the City of Wharton for repairs

2008

Hurricane Ike

$107K to the City of Wharton for repairs

2005

Hurricane Rita

$84K to the City of Wharton for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina Evacuation

$2K to the City of Wharton for repairs

1998

Tx-Flooding 10/18/98

$275K to the City of Wharton for repairs

Wharton County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and floods.

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. Wharton is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Wharton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Wharton. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

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.