Water damage restoration · Baytown, Texas
Water damage restoration in Baytown, TX
Burst pipe, failed water heater, or storm water? Baytown-area ZIPs: 4,628 flood claims since 1978[1]; 49% of homes built before 1980[2]. Request help from local restoration crews. Baytown, in Harris County and Chambers County — ZIPs 77521, 77520, 77523, counts 86,561 residents (2025 estimate)[3].
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Baytown at a glance for water damage
- Population (2025 est.)
- 86,561[3]+1.2% since 2020
- County
- Harris / Chambers[3]city spans more than one county
- Land area
- 40.0 sq mi[4]
- Flood-insurance (NFIP) claims, local ZIPs
- 4,628 since 1978[1]$226,243,481 paid across 3,606 claims · ZIP 77521, 77520, 77523
- Flood & flash-flood reports within 10 mi
- 12[5]2016–2025 · latest Apr 29, 2024
- Winter-storm & freeze days, harris zone
- 4[5]2016–2025; hard freezes burst pipes
- Federal disaster declarations incl. flooding, Harris Co.
- 7[6]of 26 total declarations
- Homes built before 1980
- 49%[2]the 3rd-highest share of the 15 Houston-area suburbs we cover
- Households renting
- 48%[2]2020–2024
What Baytown's numbers say about water damage
Baytown counts 86,561 residents (2025 estimate), growing at a middle-of-the-pack 1.2% since 2020[3]. The city spans 40.0 square miles at 2,164 residents per square mile (the 6th densest) and spans Harris County and Chambers County, served by ZIP codes 77521, 77520, 77523[4].
Baytown mixes 15% of homes built since 2010 and 49% before 1980[2]: new supply lines and water heaters in one house, aging pipe and original valves in the next — so where a leak starts depends a lot on the address.
Mail to Baytown goes through 3 ZIP codes — 77521 (47% of the city's land), 77520 (38% of the city's land), 77523 (15% of the city's land)[7].
Nearest of the other suburbs we track: La Porte (8.3 mi SW), Pasadena (13.4 mi SW) and League City (20.8 mi SW)[4].
4,628 flood-insurance claims have come from Baytown-area ZIP codes (77521, 77520, 77523) since 1978, and $226,243,481 has been paid on them (about $62,741 per paid claim)[1]. 2017 was the worst year, with 1,653 claims. That is the 8th-most of the 15 Houston-area suburbs we cover; for comparison, La Porte (4,801), Pasadena (13,636), and League City (19,518). Of the 4,563 claims rated in a flood zone, 1,557 were in FEMA's high-risk areas (zones A or V) and 3,006 outside them (zones B, C or X)[1][8] — flooding here is not only a high-risk-zone problem.
By month of loss, Baytown-area flood claims cluster in June (501), August (2,295), and September (642) — 3,438 of 4,628 dated claims[1].
Within 10 miles of central Baytown, weather observers filed 12 flood, flash-flood or heavy-rain reports in 2016–2025 (12 flash floods)[5]. Countywide: 7 flood declarations since 2000, latest Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding (DR-4781, 2024)[6]. Nearby: La Porte (18), Pasadena (25), and League City (32).
49% of Baytown's 34,125 housing units predate 1980[2] — the 3rd-highest share of the 15 Houston-area suburbs we cover (La Porte (42%), Pasadena (57%), and League City (14%)). Aging supply lines and valves are the usual hidden-leak suspects in houses that old.
Freeze days in the harris zone: 4 in 2016–2025, latest Jan 17, 2018[5]. Nearby: La Porte (4), Pasadena (4), and League City (1).
48% of Baytown households rent[2]: tenants should report leaks to the landlord in writing, with photos.
Among the 15 suburbs tracked here, Baytown stands out for the lowest median home value ($197,300)[2], the 3rd-highest pre-1980 housing share (49%)[2], and the 3rd-oldest housing (by median year built) (1981)[2].
How a leak spreads inside a wall
Leaked water spreads outward and wicks up drywall the longer it runs.
Baytown storm calendar
Within 10 miles of Baytown, 2016–2025: 12 flash-flood reports[5]. Peak: 67% in April, June, and August. Busiest year 2017 (4); 5 of 10 years had none. Busiest month August 2017 (3). Latest: flash-flood report, Apr 29, 2024, 8.2 mi out.
| Month | Flash flood | Flood | Heavy rain | All |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb | 1 | – | – | 1 |
| Mar | 1 | – | – | 1 |
| Apr | 3 | – | – | 3 |
| Jun | 2 | – | – | 2 |
| Aug | 3 | – | – | 3 |
| Sep | 2 | – | – | 2 |
water damage help in Baytown: what to do next
Water damage restoration contractors taking requests around Baytown cover ZIP codes 77521, 77520, 77523.
Before you pick up the phone: what a restoration crew does first
Shared walls and ceilings: Baytown homes by building type
35%[2] of Baytown's homes share walls, floors or ceilings with a neighbour (multi-unit buildings alone: 33%, the 6th-highest multi-unit share of the 15 Houston-area suburbs we cover). Water crosses those lines: in an attached or stacked unit, tell the neighbour and the association or landlord right away, and check whose policy covers which part of the damage.
After detached houses, the biggest group is 10–19 units: 3,667 of 34,125 housing units[2].
Baytown also has 1,913 mobile homes (5.6%); for a leak under one, ask for a crew that works on manufactured homes.
| Building type | Units | Share | Margin of error |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detached house | 20,029 | 58.7% | ±830 |
| Attached house (townhouse, rowhouse) | 802 | 2.4% | ±259 |
| Duplex (2 units) | 694 | 2.0% | ±241 |
| 3–4 units | 969 | 2.8% | ±244 |
| 5–9 units | 2,123 | 6.2% | ±473 |
| 10–19 units | 3,667 | 10.7% | ±727 |
| 20–49 units | 1,855 | 5.4% | ±468 |
| 50 or more units | 1,951 | 5.7% | ±440 |
| Mobile home | 1,913 | 5.6% | ±435 |
| Boat, RV, van, etc. | 122 | 0.4% | ±98 |
Margins of error are the Census Bureau’s 90% intervals; small categories in small cities are rough.
The Baytown numbers behind this page
| Measure | Baytown | Median of 15 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built before 1980 | 49% | 28% | 20 pts higher |
| Median home value | $197,300 | $311,400 | 37% lower |
| Flood reports (10 mi) | 12 | 15 | 3 fewer |
| Renter-occupied | 48% | 43% | 4 pts higher |
| Owner-occupied | 52% | 57% | 4 pts lower |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1993 | 12 years older |
| NFIP flood claims (area ZIPs) | 4,628 | 4,628 | same as median |
Biggest gaps first. Medians are middle values across the Houston-area suburbs we cover, drawn from the same sources.
| City | NFIP claims | Flood reports ≤10 mi | Freeze days | Built before 1980 | Renting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baytown | 4,628 | 12 | 4 | 49% | 48% |
| La Porte 8.3 mi | 4,801 | 18 | 4 | 42% | 29% |
| Pasadena 13.4 mi | 13,636 | 25 | 4 | 57% | 46% |
| League City 20.8 mi | 19,518 | 32 | 1 | 14% | 25% |
| Friendswood 22.6 mi | 6,059 | 30 | 1 | 30% | 23% |
| Texas City 23.3 mi | 12,018 | 12 | 1 | 44% | 43% |
| ZIP | Claims | Paid | Busiest year | Outside high-risk zones |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 77521 | 2,098 | $142,977,426 | 2017 (1052) | 1,626 of 2,088 |
| 77520 | 1,937 | $58,100,707 | 1983 (502) | 879 of 1,919 |
| 77523 | 593 | $25,165,348 | 2017 (287) | 501 of 556 |
ZIPs extend past city limits. Outside high-risk zones: claims rated in zone B, C or X, of the claims that carry a zone.
| Year | Claims |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 3 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2024 | 73 |
| 2023 | 3 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2021 | 11 |
| 2020 | 4 |
| 2019 | 40 |
| 2018 | 10 |
| 2017 | 1,653 |
| 2016 | 26 |
| 2015 | 51 |
| Month | Claims |
|---|---|
| January | 178 |
| February | 24 |
| March | 52 |
| April | 158 |
| May | 104 |
| June | 501 |
| July | 381 |
| August | 2,295 |
| September | 642 |
| October | 244 |
| November | 29 |
| December | 20 |
| Date | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Apr 29, 2024 | Flash Flood | 7.5 mi |
| Apr 29, 2024 | Flash Flood | 1.9 mi |
| Apr 29, 2024 | Flash Flood | 8.2 mi |
| Sep 15, 2023 | Flash Flood | 8.6 mi |
| Sep 18, 2019 | Flash Flood | 3.8 mi |
| Feb 26, 2019 | Flash Flood | 1.9 mi |
| Aug 28, 2017 | Flash Flood | 7.3 mi |
| Aug 27, 2017 | Flash Flood | 6.5 mi |
| ZIP (ZCTA) | Share of Baytown's land | Share of the ZIP inside the city |
|---|---|---|
| 77521 | 47% | 35% |
| 77520 | 38% | 67% |
| 77523 | 15% | 7% |
Baytown water damage questions
Do I need flood insurance in Baytown?
Homeowners policies exclude outside floodwater[9], and Baytown-area ZIPs have 1,825 NFIP claims in just the last ten years[1].
Which Baytown ZIP codes do these crews cover?
77521, 77520, and 77523[7], in Harris County. Nearby pages: La Porte (8.3 mi), Pasadena (13.4 mi), and League City (20.8 mi)[4].
Which Baytown ZIP code has the most flood claims?
77521, with 2,098 NFIP claims and $142,977,426 paid[1].
When was the last flood report near Baytown?
Apr 29, 2024: a flash flood report 7.5 miles from the city center[5].
A lot of Baytown homes predate 1980 — what does that mean for plumbing fixtures and water heater work?
49% of Baytown's housing units were built before 1980, 20.5% before 1960[2] — the 3rd-highest share of the 15 Houston-area suburbs we cover. Older supply lines and original shut-off valves are common failure points — know where your main shut-off is before you need it.
I rent in Baytown. Who arranges the repair?
48% of occupied Baytown homes are rented[2], the 4th-highest share of the 15 Houston-area suburbs we cover. Tell your landlord or property manager in writing first; your lease says who arranges repairs.
Sources
- OpenFEMA NFIP claims
- Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year (keyless bulk)
- Census population estimates, Vintage 2025
- Census Gazetteer 2025
- NOAA Storm Events Database
- OpenFEMA disaster declarations
- Census 2020 ZCTA–place file
- FEMA, Flood Zones (link unverified)
- FEMA FloodSmart (link unverified)
Data pulled Sep 28, 2026. Full citations and method.