Matagorda County, TX
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Matagorda County has experienced 29 federally declared disasters since 1967, most recently Hurricane Beryl in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Matagorda County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, drought, and heat wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 22 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is elevated (98th percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Matagorda County has been designated in 29 declarations since 1967, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (14), flood (5), fire (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Beryl |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Tropical Storms Marco And Laura |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Hanna |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Harvey |
| 2011 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2008 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ike |
Showing the 10 most recent of 29 total declarations since 1967.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 73.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 59.4 | 9 | 0 | $10K |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 68 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 20.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 74.3 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 59.7 | 3 | 0 | $1.4M |
| Hurricane | Relatively High | 95.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 40.6 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 19.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 5.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 52.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 61.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 64.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 90.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 12.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Insufficient Data | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Matagorda County ranks in the 98th percentile (High) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 98th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 97th | High |
| Household characteristics | 98th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 91st | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 73rd | Moderate |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 81st | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 78th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 50.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 22 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 11 in 2016–20 vs 11 in 2021–25 (0% — relatively stable).
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Matagorda County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Matagorda County, Texas are hurricane, drought, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Matagorda County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Matagorda County has received 29 federal disaster declarations since 1967, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (14 declarations).
Has Matagorda County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Matagorda County include Hurricane Beryl (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1967.
How does Matagorda County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Fort Bend County, TX has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Calhoun County, TX has the lowest (Relatively Low). Matagorda County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Matagorda County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Matagorda County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Matagorda County's composite score of 80 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 80% of US counties.