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San Jacinto MonumentPhoto: Tijuana Brass at English Wikipedia · Public domain
C−Hazard risk
Natural hazards in Deer Park · FEMA

More hazard damage per building is expected in Deer Park than in 81% of U.S. towns, mostly from river and rain flooding

On FEMA’s National Risk Index, Deer Park gets a C− for hazard risk: higher expected damage per building than 81% of U.S. towns, #562 of 642 in Texas. Most of that expected damage is river and rain flooding (64%), then hurricanes (30%). Flood insurance has paid 1,530 claims here since 1979.

River and rain flooding 64%Hurricanes 30%Tornadoes 4%

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 81%of U.S. townsLess damageMoreExpected yearly damage per dollar of building, vs. the 21,298 U.S. towns we grade#562 of 642 in Texas
Hazard risk
C−#562 of 642
in Texas · higher than 81% of U.S. towns
Main hazard
River and rain flooding
64% of expected building damage
Flood claims
1,530
paid since 1979 · $44.8M
Flooded more than once
133
properties · 18 “severe repetitive loss”
Flood insurance
20% off
Community discount (class 6)

What stands out about Deer Park’s natural hazards

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

1,530 paid flood claims since 1979$44.8M in all; 133 properties flooded more than once. More per home than 97% of U.S. towns.20% off flood insuranceFlood-proofing work earns Deer Park residents a discount through FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 6).Made safer with FEMA grants1 building retrofitted against wind; 1 building floodproofed with FEMA grants.Remembers 2001545 flood claims were paid for 2001 alone, the most of any year.
By hazard

What Deer Park 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

64%of expected building damage
Above average · higher than 79% 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 90% of U.S. census tracts
Recorded about once every 5 years in the area
Smaller shares here
 Tornadoes Coastal flooding Strong wind Earthquakes 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 19% of Deer Park’s expected losses. Tornadoes do little damage to buildings (4.0%), 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 Deer Park’s grade

River and rain flooding is 64% of the building damage FEMA expects in Deer Park, and Deer Park’s rate of river and rain flooding damage is higher than 79% of U.S. census tracts. Next is hurricanes at 30% (higher than 90% of U.S. census tracts).

Where Deer Park sits
Deer Park
Least damageMiddleMost damage

C− #562 of 642 in Texas; higher expected damage per building than 81% of U.S. towns (21,298).

Deer Park’s residents live in 6 census tracts; FEMA’s figures are combined by where they live.

What drives the damage to buildings
River and rain flooding64%Hurricanes30%Tornadoes4%Everything else1%

The typical Texas town has higher expected damage than 50% of U.S. towns; within the state, Deer Park has more expected damage per building than 88% of Texas towns.

In dollars, FEMA expects about $14.7M a year in losses across Deer Park: $10.3M 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 3,340 aid registrations from Deer Park addresses (the town has 12,895 homes).
A small-area figure. Deer Park covers 6 census tracts, combined by where 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 Deer Park flood? Yes: 1,530 flood claims since 1979

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Deer Park, from FEMA’s records: 118.7 per 1,000 homes, more than 97% of the 13,809 U.S. towns with a flood insurance record.

Paid flood claims, by year
1979: 174 claims1980: 0 claims1981: 41 claims1982: 2 claims1983: 20 claims1984: 2 claims1985: 2 claims1986: 2 claims1987: 1 claim1988: 0 claims1989: 40 claims1990: 0 claims1991: 2 claims1992: 1 claim1993: 1 claim1994: 14 claims1995: 0 claims1996: 3 claims1997: 6 claims1998: 14 claims1999: 1 claim2000: 1 claim2001: 545 claims2002: 1 claim2003: 1 claim2004: 3 claims2005: 0 claims2006: 19 claims2007: 156 claims2008: 36 claims2009: 32 claims2010: 0 claims2011: 0 claims2012: 6 claims2013: 0 claims2014: 1 claim2015: 15 claims2016: 6 claims2017: 352 claims2018: 0 claims2019: 28 claims2020: 0 claims2021: 1 claim2022: 1 claim2023: 0 claims2024: 0 claims2025: 0 claims2026: 0 claims197920012017
19792026
Biggest named events
  • Tropical Storm Allison564 claims · $17.2M
  • Hurricane Harvey350 claims · $18.0M
  • Tropical Storm Erin156 claims · $6.1M
1,530
paid claims since 1979
$44.8M
paid to owners
133
homes flooded more than once
$29K
average claim
Homes that flooded again and again
Each house = 3 homesFEMA “severe repetitive loss” (18)Flooded 2+ times
of homes in flood zones are insured
of all homes are insured
Community discount20% off flood insurance

Deer Park is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 6) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Harris County.
What’s been done with FEMA grants
1building retrofitted against wind
1building floodproofed
Disasters

13 federal disasters brought FEMA money to Deer Park

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

  1. 2024Hurricane Beryl3,340 households applied for aid$2.2M aid approved$1.1M to the City of Deer Park for repairs
  2. 2024Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding179 households applied for aid$92K aid approved
  3. 2021Severe Winter Storms393 households applied for aid$198K aid approved$11K to the City of Deer Park for repairs1 flood claim paid that year
  4. 2020Tropical Storms Marco and Laura$128K to the City of Deer Park for repairs
  5. 2017Hurricane Harvey1,952 households applied for aid$2.0M aid approved$1.4M to the City of Deer Park for repairs350 flood claims paid for it, $18.0M
  6. 2016Severe Storms and Flooding5 households applied for aid$9K aid approved6 flood claims paid that year
Show all 13
  1. 2015Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds and Flooding8 households applied for aid$7K aid approved$412K to the City of Deer Park for repairs15 flood claims paid that year
  2. 2008Hurricane Ike2,973 households applied for aid$415K aid approved$2.8M to the City of Deer Park for repairs36 flood claims paid for it, $322K
  3. 2007Tropical Storm Erin83 households applied for aid$340K aid approved156 flood claims paid for it, $6.1M
  4. 2005Hurricane Rita1,468 households applied for aid$333K aid approved$168K to the City of Deer Park for repairs
  5. 2005Hurricane Rita$17K to the City of Deer Park for repairs
  6. 2002Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding1 households applied for aid$2K aid approved1 flood claim paid that year
  7. 2001Tx-tropical Storm Allison-06-06-2001$208K to the City of Deer Park for repairs564 flood claims paid for it, $17.2M
Disasters declared, by decade
Paid out in Deer ParkHarris 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 Deer Park after a storm or flood belong in the town’s history. Add one, or share what you remember below.

Add to the Deer Park archive →
Next door

Deer Park and its neighbors

Deer Park is 2nd of the 3 graded towns here, from least expected damage per building to most. Tap a town to see its hazards.

Pasadena: hazard risk C−La Porte: hazard risk C−PasadenaLa PorteDeer Park
Lowest fifthSecondMiddleFourthHighest fifth
TownHazard riskMostly (buildings)Flood claims
PasadenaC−more damage than 77%river and rain flooding5,531
Deer ParkC−more damage than 81%river and rain flooding1,530
La PorteC−more damage than 84%river and rain flooding2,498

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 Deer Park 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.
  • Deer Park residents get 20% 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 Deer Park

Is Deer Park at risk for natural disasters?

On FEMA’s National Risk Index, Deer Park has higher expected damage per building than 81% of U.S. towns: C− for hazard risk, #562 of 642 in Texas. Most of the expected damage is river and rain flooding (64%) and hurricanes (30%). This is FEMA’s model of an average year for today’s buildings, not a forecast.

Does Deer Park flood?

Flood insurance has paid 1,530 claims in Deer Park since 1979, $44.8M in all, or 118.7 per 1,000 homes, more than 97% of U.S. towns with a flood insurance record. 133 properties have flooded more than once. The most claims came from Tropical Storm Allison (564).

Is Deer Park 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 Deer Park?

Deer Park is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 6), which takes 20% 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 Deer Park?

By FEMA money that reached Deer Park, Hurricane Harvey (2017): 1,952 households applied for aid, $2.0M approved, and $1.4M to the City of Deer Park for repairs. By flood claims, Tropical Storm Allison: 564 paid, $17.2M.

Is Deer Park at risk from river and rain flooding?

It is the largest share of the building damage FEMA expects here (64%), and Deer Park’s rate for it is higher than 79% of U.S. census tracts.

Storm stories

Memories, warnings and help from neighbors in Deer Park.

Town Square →
Start the conversation

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), census-tract table, combined by where Deer Park’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.