Is Matagorda County, TX in a flood zone?
FEMA's National Risk Index puts Matagorda County's flood hazard at the 68th percentile nationally — a middling flood hazard by national standards — split between inland river flooding (about 1 times a year) and coastal storm surge (about 3.7 times a year). This describes the county, not any one street — FEMA only publishes exact parcel zones through a live map service.
Matagorda County's flood-insurance compliance gap
33.3% of the homes FEMA requires to carry flood insurance in Matagorda County — those inside the mapped Special Flood Hazard Area — actually have a policy in force: 1,504 policies against 4,518 mandated structures, which means a meaningful share of legally-required coverage simply isn't there. Across all residential structures in Matagorda County, not just the ones FEMA mandates, 15.1% carry an NFIP policy — most flood damage nationally happens outside the mapped high-risk zone, so that broader number matters too.
Where Matagorda County ranks
Matagorda County sits at rank 1050 of 3144 counties on FEMA's flood hazard scale (1 is worst) and rank 1286 of 3144 by population (1 is biggest). Matagorda County, Texas covers 1,093.131 square miles and counts roughly 36,391 residents.
What to do next if you own or are buying in Matagorda County
2,405 of Matagorda County's 15,926 residential structures carry flood coverage of some kind, per FEMA's latest count — useful context, not a substitute for checking one parcel.
More on how this number was built
The methodology guide shows exactly which FEMA and Census tables feed Matagorda County's numbers. Because storm surge plays a real role here, the guide to coastal vs. inland flood hazard is worth reading alongside this page.