FEMA Records
29
High volume
Texas · FEMA + NOAA + National Risk Index
Matagorda County, TX
29 FEMA disaster declarations (1967-2024), with a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Relatively Low. Most common hazard: Hurricane.
- 29
- FEMA declarations
- 19
- Major disasters
- 80
- NRI risk · Relatively Low
- Hurricane
- Top hazard
The verdict
Two federal records point in the busier direction for Matagorda County. Its 29 FEMA declarations are 39% above the Texas county mean and exceed the count for 85% of the 3,266 counties in this registry. Separately, FEMA's National Risk Index places it in the riskiest 20%, based on modeled expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience.
- Riskiest 20%
- of U.S. counties for FEMA National Risk Index score
- Relatively Low
- FEMA National Risk Index rating
- 29
- FEMA declarations vs 21 national county avg
- 2,137
- NFIP flood insurance claims filed
FEMA's National Risk Index and its declaration registry are separate measures. This county's registry includes Major Disaster (DR) and Emergency (EM) records; an EM authorizes a narrower set of federal assistance than a DR.
How does Matagorda County compare?
Matagorda County vs. all counties in this dataset
FEMA disaster declarations, all-time
29 Top 15% higher than 85% of 3,266 counties
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 · 2026-08-03
Matagorda County's FEMA Risk Index score
FEMA National Risk Index composite score vs. the Texas county average
What does Matagorda County's hazard record show?
Reading the federal records together
FEMA's NFIP table contains a substantial paid-claim history for this county: 2,137 claims and $24.8M in payments. PlainHazard labels 500 or more claims a heavy registry record; that is a reporting bucket, not an official FEMA risk grade. The average paid claim was $11.6K. NFIP totals exclude uninsured flood losses and do not measure how many properties currently carry a policy.
The declaration register points in the busier direction. Matagorda County's 29 federal records stand 39% above the Texas county mean of 20.9. That comparison describes how often federal action was recorded, including any Major Disaster, Emergency, and Fire Management entries shown on this page; it does not convert the count into future probability.
FEMA National Risk Index
This county sits among the highest-risk counties nationally on FEMA's National Risk Index, a composite score of 80.3/100 (Relatively Low). Expected Annual Loss is rated Relatively Low (roughly $33.3M in annualized losses). Social vulnerability reads Relatively High and community resilience Relatively Moderate, both critical modifiers of realized harm here. Of the 18 hazards FEMA models, Hurricane stands out as the sharpest exposure here, rated Relatively High. FEMA's modeled frequency puts that hazard at roughly once every 5 years here, based on 87 historical events on record.
Declaration frequency
The FEMA register is busy by both local and national comparisons. It contains 29 entries for Matagorda County, including 19 Major Disaster records, 39% above the Texas county mean. Across the 57-year span, that works out to 0.5 declarations a year. Hurricane leads the file with 14 entries. Declaration type records the federal action taken, not every assistance program approved.
72 /100
Historical Activity Index
High historical activity
Matagorda County, TX · PlainHazard-derived composite from federal records
This 0–100 index is an explicit PlainHazard composite from FEMA declaration history only on the county surface (this DB has no county-level NOAA damage row) . It is not FEMA's National Risk Index, not a forecast, and not a safety, insurance, or preparedness rating. Open the calculator · Methodology
FEMA Declarations (1953–present) High
21/30
29 OpenFEMA declarations, full ingest window (1.4x national county average)
County Disaster Density High
17/25
29 declarations (1.4x state county average of 21)
Major Disaster Share High
16/25
19 of 29 declarations are major disasters (66%)
Hazard Diversity Very High
18/20
7 different disaster types declared in Matagorda County
Historical Declaration Activity
Activity Band
High
vs. Texas Avg
+39%
State avg: 20.9
vs. National Avg
+40%
National avg: 20.7
Avg Per Year
0.5
Over 57 years
FEMA NRI 8-hazard radar - Matagorda County
How to read this radar
Each axis: NRI risk rating (Very Low-Very High) on a 0-100 scale. Rounder = broad exposure; spiky = one or two hazards dominate.
Major Disaster share
66%
Major-heavy
NRI risk score
80
Relatively Low
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Per-county per-hazard ratings, December 2025 release
How often does each hazard strike Matagorda County?
FEMA's National Risk Index models a historical event count and an annualized frequency for each hazard type. Most hazards are expressed as modeled occurrences per year; FEMA expresses drought and heat-wave frequency as event-days per year. These modeled frequencies are not forecasts.
| Hazard | NRI Risk Rating | Recurrence |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | Relatively High | roughly once every 5 years |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 44 modeled event-days per year |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 15 modeled event-days per year |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | roughly once every 333 years |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | an average of 3.7 times per year |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | an average of 64 times per year |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | roughly once every 2 years |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | roughly once every 1 years |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | an average of 1 time per year |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | roughly once every 2 years |
| Hail | Relatively Low | an average of 1.1 times per year |
| Earthquake | Very Low | roughly once every 2,463 years |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | roughly once every 1 years |
| Landslide | Very Low | roughly once every 10 years |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | roughly once every 1 years |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Modeled annualized frequency; drought and heat wave use event-days/year, December 2025 release
Disaster Types
Hurricane 14
Flood 5
Fire 3
Severe Ice Storm 2
Biological 2
Severe Storm 2
Coastal Storm 1
What Hurricane declarations mean here
Hurricane is the most frequent declaration type on Matagorda County's federal record, 48% of its declarations. Atlantic tropical systems run on a defined season, 1 June to 30 November, with most activity concentrated between August and October; Pacific and territorial basins run on their own calendars. A single named storm routinely produces one declaration number covering a long corridor of counties at once, well inland as well as on the coast, which is why an affected county's count can jump by several in one year without several separate events having occurred.
One practical distinction matters when reading these records: a tropical declaration usually bundles wind, storm surge and inland rainfall flooding under a single incident, but the insurance behind them is split. Wind damage falls to property insurers, while flood and surge damage is covered only under a separate National Flood Insurance Program policy. That is why a county can show heavy declaration activity and a comparatively small NFIP claims record, or the reverse.
Declaration counts describe past federal action. They are a record of what was declared, not a forecast of future hazard probability.
Declaration Types
What DR / EM / FM mean
FEMA categorizes declarations as Major Disasters (DR), Emergencies (EM), or Fire Management Assistance (FM).
Major Disaster - 19 65.5%
of all 29 declarations
Emergency - 10 34.5%
of all 29 declarations
FEMA Declarations Timeline
| Year | Declarations | |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1 | |
| 2021 | 2 | |
| 2020 | 4 | |
| 2017 | 1 | |
| 2011 | 1 | |
| 2008 | 3 | |
| 2007 | 1 | |
| 2006 | 1 | |
| 2005 | 3 | |
| 2003 | 1 | |
| 2002 | 1 | |
| 1999 | 2 | |
| 1998 | 2 | |
| 1995 | 1 | |
| 1992 | 1 | |
Show 4 earlier declaration years
| 1983 | 1 | |
| 1979 | 1 | |
| 1973 | 1 | |
| 1967 | 1 | |
Disaster Declarations
How the 29 FEMA declarations break into federal action codes (DR / EM / FM). Same DISTINCT grain as the table below.
Download these 29 declarations as CSV . FEMA source data is public domain; our derived presentation is CC0.
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4798 | HURRICANE BERYL | DR | Hurricane | 2024-07-09 |
| 4586 | SEVERE WINTER STORMS | DR | Severe Ice Storm | 2021-02-19 |
| 3554 | SEVERE WINTER STORM | EM | Severe Ice Storm | 2021-02-14 |
| 3540 | TROPICAL STORMS MARCO AND LAURA | EM | Hurricane | 2020-08-24 |
| 3530 | HURRICANE HANNA | EM | Hurricane | 2020-07-26 |
| 4485 | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR | Biological | 2020-03-25 |
| 3458 | COVID-19 | EM | Biological | 2020-03-13 |
| 4332 | HURRICANE HARVEY | DR | Hurricane | 2017-08-25 |
| 4029 | WILDFIRES | DR | Fire | 2011-09-09 |
| 1791 | HURRICANE IKE | DR | Hurricane | 2008-09-13 |
| 3294 | HURRICANE IKE | EM | Hurricane | 2008-09-10 |
| 3290 | HURRICANE GUSTAV | EM | Hurricane | 2008-08-29 |
| 3277 | HURRICANE DEAN | EM | Hurricane | 2007-08-18 |
| 1624 | EXTREME WILDFIRE THREAT | DR | Fire | 2006-01-11 |
| 1606 | HURRICANE RITA | DR | Hurricane | 2005-09-24 |
| 3261 | HURRICANE RITA | EM | Hurricane | 2005-09-21 |
| 3216 | HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION | EM | Hurricane | 2005-09-02 |
| 1479 | HURRICANE CLAUDETTE | DR | Hurricane | 2003-07-17 |
| 1434 | TROPICAL STORM FAY | DR | Coastal Storm | 2002-09-26 |
| 3142 | EXTREME FIRE HAZARDS | EM | Fire | 1999-09-01 |
Show 9 earlier declaration records
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1257 | TX-FLOODING 10/18/98 | DR | Flood | 1998-10-21 |
| 1245 | HURRICANE GEORGES - TEXAS | DR | Severe Storm | 1998-09-23 |
| 1239 | TROPICAL STORM CHARLEY | DR | Severe Storm | 1998-08-26 |
| 1041 | SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1994-10-18 |
| 930 | SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS | DR | Flood | 1991-12-26 |
| 689 | HURRICANE ALICIA | DR | Hurricane | 1983-08-19 |
| 603 | SEVERE STORMS & FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1979-09-25 |
| 398 | SEVERE STORMS & FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1973-07-11 |
| 232 | HURRICANE BEULAH | DR | Hurricane | 1967-09-28 |
Storm Events in Texas
Statewide NOAA context only. PlainHazard does not currently attribute these state totals to Matagorda County.
| Storm Type | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 14,072 | 0 | 15 | $7.4B |
| Thunderstorm Wind | 10,293 | 41 | 141 | $369.9M |
| Drought | 7,032 | 0 | 0 | $86.0K |
| Flash Flood | 4,728 | 338 | 24 | $47.6B |
| Heat | 4,079 | 119 | 405 | $0 |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database State-level aggregated data, 2015-2025
NFIP Flood Insurance Claims
Total Claims
2,137
Total Paid
$24.8M
Avg Per Claim
$11.6K
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA Claims Data
FEMA National Risk Index
Overall Risk
Relatively Low
Score: 80.3/100
Expected Annual Loss
Relatively Low
$33.3M/year
Social Vulnerability
Relatively High
Community Resilience
Relatively Moderate
Hazard Risk Breakdown
Hurricane Relatively High
Drought Relatively Moderate
Heat Wave Relatively Low
Wildfire Relatively Low
Coastal Flooding Relatively Moderate
Lightning Relatively Moderate
Cold Wave Relatively Low
Tornado Relatively Low
Riverine Flooding Relatively Low
Ice Storm Relatively Low
Hail Relatively Low
Earthquake Very Low
Strong Wind Relatively Low
Landslide Very Low
Winter Weather Very Low
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) Ratings reflect relative scores among all US counties. Data: hazards.fema.gov/nri
The model's sharpest exposure here: Hurricane
Hurricane exposure in the model bundles the three ways a tropical system does harm, which arrive on different timescales and are insured differently: wind, storm surge on the coast, and rainfall flooding that can reach far inland well after landfall.
For Matagorda County the two measures on this page point the same way: Hurricane is the county's highest-rated modeled hazard (Relatively High), and Hurricane declarations also lead its federal record. Where the model and the declaration history agree, the reading is comparatively straightforward, the hazard is both expected and repeatedly realised.
National Risk Index ratings are modeled estimates of expected annual loss, not predictions of what will happen in any given year.
Data-matched county comparisons
Matagorda County's closest FEMA peer: Etowah County, AL
Comparisons use published FEMA declaration fields plus the National Risk Index composite for Matagorda County. Record similarity, not a safety rating.
Closest declaration profiles
Matagorda County shows 29 FEMA declarations, led by Hurricane.
Similar Major-disaster share
Matagorda County: 19 of 29 of its declarations are Major.
Similar modeled NRI score
Matagorda County: NRI composite 80.3 (Relatively Low).
How these peers are chosen
Cohort: Published U.S. county equivalents outside the source state or territory. Each metric keeps six ETL candidates; three unique destinations are shown after de-duplicating across axes. Declaration-volume ranking combines count and Major-disaster share and prefers a different leading incident type; Major-share ranks the Major fraction adjusted for volume; NRI ranks the modeled composite score only.
Retained FEMA snapshot feed for Matagorda County - capture-dated entries only.
Further reading for this county
Understanding disaster data
Matagorda County's NFIP claims file (2,137 claims) and FEMA declaration history measure different federal records - this guide separates them from modeled NRI risk.
More PlainHazard guides
- Most disaster-prone counties - U.S. counties ranked by FEMA declaration totals.
- Understanding disaster data - declarations vs storm events vs NRI scores.
- Preparing for natural disasters - household checklist (not county-specific advice).
Related
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common disaster type in Matagorda County?
The most common disaster type in Matagorda County is Hurricane, with 14 declarations. Other disaster types include Flood (5), Fire (3), Severe Ice Storm (2).
How does Matagorda County's FEMA declaration record compare with the Texas average?
FEMA lists 29 declaration records for Matagorda County. That is 39% above the Texas county mean of 20.9. Its count is also 40% above the national county mean of 20.7. A larger declaration history records more federal actions; it is not a forecast of the county's next hazard.
How many major FEMA disaster declarations has Matagorda County received?
Matagorda County has received 19 major disaster declarations, representing 66% of all 29 disaster declarations.
How many flood insurance claims has Matagorda County filed?
Matagorda County has 2,137 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims totaling $24.8M in payments, with an average of $11.6K per claim.
What was the worst year for disasters in Matagorda County?
The most active year for disaster declarations in Matagorda County was 2020, with 4 declarations. The county has FEMA disaster data spanning 1967 to 2024.
What is the FEMA National Risk Index score for Matagorda County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, Matagorda County, Texas has an overall risk score of 80.3 out of 100 (Relatively Low). On social vulnerability the county rates Relatively High; on community resilience, Relatively Moderate. The Expected Annual Loss (EAL) score is Relatively Low, representing $33.3M in annualized losses.
Which natural hazard poses the greatest risk to Matagorda County?
FEMA's NRI data points to Matagorda County is Hurricane (risk rating: Relatively High). Other significant hazards include Drought (Relatively Moderate) and Heat Wave (Relatively Low). FEMA's modeled event frequency puts hurricane here at roughly once every 5 years, drawn from 87 historical events on record. These scores are based on FEMA's analysis of historical event frequency, exposed assets, and community vulnerability.
Data Sources & Methodology
Disaster declaration data comes from the FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 API, which includes all federally declared disasters, emergencies, and fire management assistance grants.
Storm event data is sourced from the NOAA Storm Events Database (2015-2025), which tracks significant weather events including thunderstorms, tornadoes, floods, and winter storms.
Flood insurance data comes from the FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA claims dataset.
This data is provided for informational purposes only. FEMA disaster declarations represent federal response actions and may not capture all local emergencies or weather events.
What this means for Matagorda County
Matagorda County, TX has 29 federal declaration records, 39% more than the Texas county mean of 21; its history sits in PlainHazard's high activity band.
- Within this above-state-average declaration file, major disaster leads with 19 of 29 records; the category describes past federal action, not the next likely hazard. Texas overview
- The state benchmark and national rank point the same way: this count tops the Texas mean and the totals for 85% of 3,266 U.S. counties. Most-disaster rankings
- The large NFIP claims file and FEMA declaration history measure different federal records; the guide explains where they overlap and where they do not. Disaster-data guide
An above-average declaration count records past federal responses; it does not predict the next event. Current warnings come from the National Weather Service and local emergency officials.
PlainHazard derives this profile from FEMA's Disaster Declarations Summaries and National Risk Index data. The declaration comparison covers 3,266 U.S. counties and county equivalents in this database, refreshed as of 2026-08-03. Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FEMA OpenFEMA, Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 - all federally-declared disasters for this county. fema.gov/openfema/disaster-declarations
- FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) - per-county per-hazard risk ratings and expected annual loss. hazards.fema.gov/nri
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database - state-level storm/severe-weather event records, 2015-2025. ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainHazard Editorial
Verify with FEMA → · Verify with FEMA NRI → · Verify with NOAA →
Every figure on PlainHazard is rendered directly from FEMA federal disaster data, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or national statistics report, the data & editorial changelog, or report a data error.