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Fred Hartman Bridge, Baytown, Texas 1209261519Photo: Patrick Feller · CC BY 2.0
C−Hazard risk
Natural hazards in Baytown · FEMA

FEMA expects more hazard damage per building in Baytown than in 80% of U.S. towns, mostly from river and rain flooding

On FEMA’s National Risk Index, Baytown gets a C− for hazard risk: higher expected damage per building than 80% of U.S. towns, #553 of 642 in Texas. Most of that expected damage is river and rain flooding (63%), then hurricanes (30%). Flood insurance has paid 2,678 claims here since 1978.

River and rain flooding 63%Hurricanes 30%Tornadoes 5%

Graded on FEMA’s expected yearly building damage per dollar of building value (NRI v1.20, December 2025), weighted by where residents live; flood claims are shown, not graded. How hazard risk is graded

more than 80%of U.S. townsLess damageMoreExpected yearly damage per dollar of building, vs. the 21,298 U.S. towns we grade#553 of 642 in Texas
Hazard risk
C−#553 of 642
in Texas · higher than 80% of U.S. towns
Main hazard
River and rain flooding
63% of expected building damage
Flood claims
2,678
paid since 1978 · $154M
Flooded more than once
179
properties · 48 “severe repetitive loss”
Flood insurance
25% off
Community discount (class 5)

What stands out about Baytown’s natural hazards

From FEMA’s model and FEMA’s records, below.

2,678 paid flood claims since 1978$154M in all; 179 properties flooded more than once. More per home than 95% of U.S. towns.25% off flood insuranceFlood-proofing work earns Baytown residents a discount through FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 5).Made safer with FEMA grants4 flood-prone properties bought out and cleared; 1 storm safe room built; 1 building floodproofed; 1 building retrofitted against wind; 1 flood-prone home bought out and moved with FEMA grants.Remembers 2017793 flood claims were paid for 2017 alone, the most of any year.
By hazard

What Baytown faces

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

River and rain flooding

63%of expected building damage
Above average · higher than 78% of U.S. census tracts
Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

30%of expected building damage
Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. census tracts
Recorded about once every 5 years in the area
Smaller shares here
 Tornadoes Coastal flooding Earthquakes Strong wind Ice storms Hail Wildfire Winter storms Cold waves Heat waves Landslides Lightning
FEMA models no building damage here
AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity
People, not buildings.Counting harm to people as well as buildings, FEMA’s model puts tornadoes at 22% of Baytown’s expected losses. Tornadoes do little damage to buildings (4.7%), so they aren’t part of the grade.

Shares are of FEMA’s expected building damage, the measure the grade uses; ranks compare each hazard’s building-damage rate with all 85,154 U.S. census tracts. In FEMA’s terms, river and rain flooding is FEMA’s “Inland Flooding” (rivers and streams overflowing their banks, or rain overwhelming drainage). FEMA defines coastal flooding as high or rising tides and storm surge, so surge damage is counted there. Drought isn’t listed: FEMA counts its losses in crops only.

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.
Hazard risk grade

What’s behind Baytown’s grade

River and rain flooding is 63% of the building damage FEMA expects in Baytown, and Baytown’s rate of river and rain flooding damage is higher than 78% of U.S. census tracts. Coastal flooding adds 1%, at a rate in the top 5% of U.S. census tracts.

Where Baytown sits
Baytown
Least damageMiddleMost damage

C− #553 of 642 in Texas; higher expected damage per building than 80% of U.S. towns (21,298).

Baytown’s residents live in 22 census tracts; FEMA’s figures are combined by where they live.

What drives the damage to buildings
River and rain flooding63%Hurricanes30%Tornadoes5%Everything else2%

The typical Texas town has higher expected damage than 50% of U.S. towns; within the state, Baytown has more expected damage per building than 86% of Texas towns.

In dollars, FEMA expects about $35.0M a year in losses across Baytown: $23.4M to buildings, the rest to people and crops.

Recent disaster.FEMA’s model looks at expected damage to the buildings standing today. After Hurricane Beryl in 2024, FEMA took 18,700 aid registrations from Baytown addresses (the town has 34,125 homes).
A firm figure. It combines 22 census tracts by where Baytown’s residents live. FEMA’s model is an average year for today’s buildings, not a record: the claims and disasters below are the record.

How TownRatings grades hazard risk →

Flood insurance claims

Does Baytown flood? Yes: 2,678 flood claims since 1978

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Baytown, from FEMA’s records: 78.5 per 1,000 homes, more than 95% of the 13,809 U.S. towns with a flood insurance record.

Paid flood claims, by year
1978: 4 claims1979: 382 claims1980: 50 claims1981: 167 claims1982: 16 claims1983: 512 claims1984: 1 claim1985: 11 claims1986: 27 claims1987: 5 claims1988: 11 claims1989: 60 claims1990: 1 claim1991: 2 claims1992: 2 claims1993: 1 claim1994: 44 claims1995: 5 claims1996: 3 claims1997: 3 claims1998: 116 claims1999: 7 claims2000: 8 claims2001: 12 claims2002: 9 claims2003: 4 claims2004: 15 claims2005: 2 claims2006: 11 claims2007: 3 claims2008: 248 claims2009: 43 claims2010: 0 claims2011: 0 claims2012: 5 claims2013: 3 claims2014: 3 claims2015: 18 claims2016: 7 claims2017: 793 claims2018: 5 claims2019: 14 claims2020: 1 claim2021: 0 claims2022: 0 claims2023: 2 claims2024: 41 claims2025: 1 claim2026: 0 claims197919832017
19782026
Biggest named events
  • Hurricane Harvey786 claims · $102M
  • Hurricane Alicia488 claims · $17.8M
  • Tropical Storm Claudette248 claims · $1.7M
2,678
paid claims since 1978
$154M
paid to owners
179
homes flooded more than once
$58K
average claim
Homes that flooded again and again
Each house = 3 homesFEMA “severe repetitive loss” (48)Flooded 2+ times
of homes in flood zones are insured
of all homes are insured
Community discount25% off flood insurance

Baytown is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 5) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Harris County.
What’s been done with FEMA grants
4flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
1storm safe room built
1building floodproofed
1building retrofitted against wind
1flood-prone home bought out and moved
Disasters

18 federal disasters brought FEMA money to Baytown

Disasters that paid out in Baytown itself (aid to households or repair grants to the City of Baytown), newest first, with that year’s flood claims.

  1. 2024Hurricane Beryl18,700 households applied for aid$16.7M aid approved$2.9M to the City of Baytown for repairs
  2. 2024Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding2,437 households applied for aid$1.7M aid approved
  3. 2021Severe Winter Storms3,863 households applied for aid$1.5M aid approved$44K to the City of Baytown for repairs
  4. 2020Tropical Storms Marco and Laura$27K to the City of Baytown for repairs1 flood claim paid that year
  5. 2019Tropical Storm Imelda196 households applied for aid$76K aid approved14 flood claims paid that year
  6. 2017Hurricane Harvey14,598 households applied for aid$37.5M aid approved$3.4M to the City of Baytown for repairs786 flood claims paid for it, $102M
Show all 18
  1. 2016Severe Storms and Flooding22 households applied for aid$14K aid approved
  2. 2016Severe Storms and Flooding37 households applied for aid$73K aid approved
  3. 2015Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, and Flooding28 households applied for aid$21K aid approved
  4. 2015Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds and Flooding51 households applied for aid$25K aid approved
  5. 2008Hurricane Ike17,150 households applied for aid$10.2M aid approved$20.5M to the City of Baytown for repairs247 flood claims paid for it, $23.0M
  6. 2007Hurricane Dean$2K to the City of Baytown for repairs
  7. 2007Tropical Storm Erin5 households applied for aid$2K aid approved
  8. 2005Hurricane Rita13,087 households applied for aid$4.7M aid approved$877K to the City of Baytown for repairs
  9. 2005Hurricane Rita$65K to the City of Baytown for repairs
  10. 2005Hurricane Katrina Evacuation$3.2M to the City of Baytown for repairs
  11. 2002Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding5 households applied for aid$23K aid approved9 flood claims paid that year
  12. 2001Tx-tropical Storm Allison-06-06-2001$25K to the City of Baytown for repairs40 flood claims paid for it, $267K
Disasters declared, by decade
Paid out in BaytownHarris County only

Harris County has had 34 natural disasters declared by the President since 1953, most often floods, then severe storms. Not counted: the 2005 Hurricane Katrina evacuee emergency, which covered counties that took in evacuees.

Also 1 FEMA wildfire suppression grant (Fire Management Assistance, not a disaster declaration) for fires in Harris County, 2011–2011.

Were you here?

Old photos of Baytown after a storm or flood belong in the town’s history. Add one, or share what you remember below.

Add to the Baytown archive →
Next door

Baytown and its neighbors

Baytown is 4th of the 5 graded towns here, from least expected damage per building to most. Tap a town to see its hazards.

Beach City: hazard risk CMont Belvieu: hazard risk CHighlands: hazard risk CHouston: hazard risk DBeach CityMont BelvieuHighlandsHoustonBaytown
Lowest fifthSecondMiddleFourthHighest fifth
TownHazard riskMostly (buildings)Flood claims
Beach CityCmore damage than 65%river and rain flooding41
HighlandsCmore damage than 66%river and rain flooding13
Mont BelvieuCmore damage than 70%river and rain flooding60
BaytownC−more damage than 80%river and rain flooding2,678
HoustonDmore damage than 87%river and rain flooding71,124

Hazard risk = FEMA’s expected yearly building damage per dollar of building value, vs. the 21,298 U.S. towns we grade; the map is shaded by fifths of the same scale. Flood claims = paid federal flood insurance claims on record.

Be ready

Get ready for what Baytown faces

A short kit for the hazards that drive the building damage here, what to check before you buy, and where neighbors get alerts.

When the river rises
  • Turn around at flooded roads: a foot of moving water can carry off a car.
  • Flood insurance usually takes 30 days to start, so buy it before the forecast.
  • Keep papers and medicines up high, in a grab-and-go bag.
More from Ready.gov ↗
Hurricane season
  • The season runs June through November and peaks from mid-August to mid-October.
  • Bring in porch furniture and anything the wind can throw.
  • Fill the gas tank and charge phones before the storm arrives.
More from Ready.gov ↗
Before you buy or rent
  • Look up the address on FEMA’s flood map.
  • Ask the seller or landlord whether it has ever flooded, and what flood insurance costs there.
  • Get a flood insurance quote early: policies usually start 30 days after you buy.
  • Baytown residents get 25% off flood insurance.
When a storm is coming
Forecast and alertsWeather →911, the nearest ERSafety →

Know where neighbors sign up for alerts? Add it to the Handbook so everyone has it.

Questions about natural hazards in Baytown

Is Baytown at risk for natural disasters?

On FEMA’s National Risk Index, Baytown has higher expected damage per building than 80% of U.S. towns: C− for hazard risk, #553 of 642 in Texas. Most of the expected damage is river and rain flooding (63%) and hurricanes (30%). This is FEMA’s model of an average year for today’s buildings, not a forecast.

Does Baytown flood?

Flood insurance has paid 2,678 claims in Baytown since 1978, $154M in all, or 78.5 per 1,000 homes, more than 95% of U.S. towns with a flood insurance record. 179 properties have flooded more than once. The most claims came from Hurricane Harvey (786).

Is Baytown in a flood zone?

Flood zones are drawn street by street, so the answer depends on the address: look it up on FEMA’s flood map. In Harris County, 48% of homes in mapped flood zones carry federal flood insurance, and 16.6% of all homes do.

How much is flood insurance in Baytown?

Baytown is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 5), which takes 25% off federal flood insurance policies for its flood-proofing work. Premiums depend on the building; policies usually start 30 days after you buy, so get a quote early.

What was the biggest storm in Baytown?

By FEMA money that reached Baytown, Hurricane Harvey (2017): 14,598 households applied for aid, $37.5M approved, and $3.4M to the City of Baytown for repairs. By flood claims, Hurricane Harvey: 786 paid, $102M.

Is Baytown at risk from river and rain flooding?

It is the largest share of the building damage FEMA expects here (63%), and Baytown’s rate for it is higher than 78% of U.S. census tracts.

Storm stories

Memories, warnings and help from neighbors in Baytown.

Town Square →
Start the conversation

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), census-tract table, combined by where Baytown’s residents lived in the 2020 census; 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. Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. Preparedness tips: Ready.gov. FEMA’s model is an average of expected damage, not a forecast. How hazard risk is graded.