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Fort Bend County, Texas

Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.

Relatively High overall risk
8th of 254highest risk in Texas
$346Mexpected losses a year
26federal declarations
1 in 6homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Fort Bend County, Texas has a relatively high overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 98% of US counties. It ranks 8th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, hurricanes and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $346 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $421 per resident. Since 1983 it has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (16 major disasters). The most recent was in July 2024 (Hurricane Beryl). About 1 in 6 homes here carry federal flood insurance (39,537 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $451 million on 7,389 claims here, including $364 million for floods in 2017.

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.

Top risks in Fort Bend County

$169 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 2 times a year.
  • Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
  • Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.
$70.7 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 6 years.
  • Know your evacuation zone and route before June 1.
  • Ask about roof age, shutters and the separate wind or hurricane deductible on your home policy.

Tornado

Very High
$59.4 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • Pick a shelter spot: a basement, or an inside room on the lowest floor with no windows.
  • Turn on emergency alerts on your phone and keep a weather radio.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingHigh97.6
$169M
HurricaneHigh97.6
$71M
TornadoVery High99.2
$59M
Heat waveHigh97.8
$17M
Cold waveHigh95.5
$15M
LightningVery High99.4
$7M
Strong windHigh94.1
$3M
Ice stormHigh93.3
$2M
DroughtModerate84.6
$1M
HailModerate73.9
$811K
EarthquakeLow61.8
$618K
WildfireLow80.1
$502K
Winter weatherLow46.9
$71K
LandslideVery Low53.6
$2K
Coastal floodingVery Low19.2
$224

Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is very low and community resilience is relatively high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Fort Bend County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane12
Flood5
Severe Storm3
Fire3
Severe Ice Storm2
Coastal Storm1

Most recent

Jul 9, 2024Hurricane BerylMajor disaster
Feb 19, 2021Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Feb 14, 2021Severe Winter StormEmergency
Aug 24, 2020Tropical Storms Marco and LauraEmergency
Jul 26, 2020Hurricane HannaEmergency
Aug 25, 2017Hurricane HarveyMajor disaster
Jun 11, 2016Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 25, 2016Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
May 29, 2015Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 13, 2008Hurricane IkeMajor disaster
Show all 26
Sep 10, 2008Hurricane IkeEmergency
Aug 29, 2008Hurricane GustavEmergency
Aug 18, 2007Hurricane DeanEmergency
May 26, 2006Lake Olympia FireFire management
Jan 11, 2006Extreme Wildfire ThreatMajor disaster
Sep 24, 2005Hurricane RitaMajor disaster
Sep 21, 2005Hurricane RitaEmergency
Sep 2, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Nov 5, 2002Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 9, 2001Tx-Tropical Storm Allison-06-06-2001Major disaster
Sep 1, 1999Extreme Fire HazardsEmergency
Oct 21, 1998Tx-Flooding 10/18/98Major disaster
Aug 26, 1998Tropical Storm CharleyMajor disaster
Oct 18, 1994Severe Thunderstorms and FloodingMajor disaster
Dec 26, 1991Severe ThunderstormsMajor disaster
Aug 19, 1983Hurricane AliciaMajor disaster

Texas also had 106 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1950

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 435 storm reports in Fort Bend County since 1950, with 10 deaths and 79 injuries and about $8 billion in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on April 19, 1965.

60tornadoes
129hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
163damaging thunderstorm winds
57floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 19, 1965F3–3 / 1
Sep 13, 1974F3–2 / 0
Feb 14, 2017EF2Crabb0 / 0
Nov 17, 2003F2Sugarland60 / 0
Nov 17, 2003F2Stafford0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Aug 26, 2017Flash FloodKendleton$8B
Feb 16, 1998TornadoSugarland$4M
Nov 21, 1992Tornado–$3M
May 2, 2000Thunderstorm WindOrchard$2M
Apr 16, 2001HailMissouri City$2M
Aug 26, 2017TornadoHobby$2M

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 23, 2026. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.

Hurricanes and tropical storms

Hurricane risk by county ›

Since 1854, 21 hurricanes and 26 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Fort Bend County, 20 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1932, with top winds near 150 mph about 50 miles away.

21hurricanes
6major hurricanes (Category 3+)
26tropical storms
2024most recent: Beryl

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 14, 1932UnnamedCategory 4, 150 mph50 mi
Sep 9, 1900UnnamedCategory 4, 140 mph64 mi
Aug 17, 1915UnnamedCategory 4, 130 mph64 mi
Sep 23, 1941UnnamedCategory 3, 125 mph63 mi
Aug 18, 1983AliciaCategory 3, 115 mph64 mi
Jul 21, 1909UnnamedCategory 3, 115 mph59 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Jul 8, 2024BerylCategory 1, 90 mph58 mi
Sep 14, 2021NicholasCategory 1, 75 mph57 mi
Sep 17, 2019ImeldaTropical storm, 45 mph49 mi
Sep 13, 2008IkeCategory 2, 105 mph60 mi
Aug 5, 2008EdouardTropical storm, 45 mph63 mi
Aug 31, 2003GraceTropical storm, 40 mph54 mi

Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center best-track records (HURDAT2), 1851 to 2025 for the Atlantic and 1949 to 2025 for the eastern Pacific. A storm counts if its track passed within 65 miles of the county's center while it was a tropical storm or hurricane. Strength is the storm's top sustained wind at that point, not the wind measured in the county. Older storms over the open sea were sometimes missed.

Flood insurance in Fort Bend County

Check your address flood zone ›
15.4%of homes have federal flood insurance (39,537 policies)
41.9%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$451 millionpaid on 7,389 flood claims since 1978
2017costliest year, with $364 million paid

National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.

Homes in Fort Bend County

$374,500median home value (Texas $283,800, US $332,700)
2005median year homes were built (Texas 1992, US 1980)
13%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
2.8%of homes are mobile homes, which are the least safe in tornadoes and high winds

Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 305,633 housing units.

Compare in Texas

All 254 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Harris CountyVery HighInland flooding
Dallas CountyVery HighInland flooding
Tarrant CountyHighInland flooding
Bexar CountyHighInland flooding
Travis CountyHighInland flooding
Collin CountyHighTornado
Denton CountyHighTornado
Hidalgo CountyHighHurricane

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Harris CountyVery High39
Brazoria CountyModerate32
Waller CountyLow27
Wharton CountyModerate24
Austin CountyLow22

Common questions about Fort Bend County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Fort Bend County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Fort Bend County, about $169 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hurricane is second at $70.7 million.

How many federal disasters has Fort Bend County had?

Fort Bend County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1983, including 16 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Beryl in July 2024.

Is Fort Bend County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively High, 8th highest of 254 in Texas. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.

Do I need flood insurance in Fort Bend County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 6 homes in Fort Bend County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.

How many tornadoes has Fort Bend County had?

NOAA records list 60 tornadoes in Fort Bend County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on April 19, 1965. The weather service has also logged 129 hail reports and 57 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Fort Bend County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 21 hurricanes and 26 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Fort Bend County, including 6 major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1932, with winds near 150 mph.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.