Water damage restoration · Galveston, Texas
Water damage restoration in Galveston, TX
Burst pipe, failed water heater, or storm water? Galveston-area ZIPs: 21,608 flood claims since 1979[1]; 61% of homes built before 1980[2]. Request help from local restoration crews. Galveston, in Galveston County — ZIPs 77554, 77550, 77551, 77555, counts 53,636 residents (2025 estimate)[3].
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Galveston at a glance for water damage
- Population (2025 est.)
- 53,636[3]-0.1% since 2020
- County
- Galveston[3]
- Land area
- 41.0 sq mi[4]
- Flood-insurance (NFIP) claims, local ZIPs
- 21,608 since 1979[1]$825,358,511 paid across 17,236 claims · ZIP 77554, 77550, 77551, 77555
- Flood & flash-flood reports within 10 mi
- 4[5]2016–2025 · latest Sep 2, 2024
- Winter-storm & freeze days, galveston zone
- 1[5]2016–2025; hard freezes burst pipes
- Federal disaster declarations incl. flooding, Galveston Co.
- 1[6]of 22 total declarations
- Homes built before 1980
- 61%[2]the highest share of the 15 Houston-area suburbs we cover
- Households renting
- 54%[2]2020–2024
What Galveston's numbers say about water damage
Galveston is one of the most established suburbs tracked here — 53,636 people (2025 estimate), down just 0.1% since 2020[3]. The city spans 41.0 square miles at 1,307 residents per square mile (the 12th densest) and sits entirely in Galveston County, served by ZIP codes 77554, 77550, 77551, 77555[4].
Galveston mixes 11% of homes built since 2010 and 61% 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 Galveston goes through 4 ZIP codes — 77554 (72% of the city's land), 77550 (18% of the city's land), 77551 (10% of the city's land), 77555 (0% of the city's land)[7].
Nearest of the other suburbs we track: Texas City (17.7 mi N), League City (22.7 mi N) and Friendswood (26.3 mi NW)[4].
21,608 flood-insurance claims have come from Galveston-area ZIP codes (77554, 77550, 77551, 77555) since 1979, and $825,358,511 has been paid on them (about $47,886 per paid claim)[1]. 2008 was the worst year, with 14,110 claims. That is the most of the 15 Houston-area suburbs we cover; for comparison, Texas City (12,018), League City (19,518), and Friendswood (6,059). Outside water is a real part of the picture here. Of the 21,599 claims rated in a flood zone, 19,972 were in FEMA's high-risk areas (zones A or V) and 1,621 outside them (zones B, C or X), with 6 in undetermined zone D[1][8] — flooding here is not only a high-risk-zone problem.
By month of loss, Galveston-area flood claims cluster in July (769), August (3,798), and September (16,017) — 20,584 of 21,608 dated claims[1].
Within 10 miles of central Galveston, weather observers filed 4 flood, flash-flood or heavy-rain reports in 2016–2025 (4 flash floods)[5]. Countywide: 1 flood declaration since 2000, latest Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding (DR-4245, 2015)[6]. Nearby: Texas City (12), League City (32), and Friendswood (30).
61% of Galveston's 35,776 housing units predate 1980[2] — the highest share of the 15 Houston-area suburbs we cover (Texas City (44%), League City (14%), and Friendswood (30%)). Aging supply lines and valves are the usual hidden-leak suspects in houses that old.
54% of Galveston households rent[2]: tenants should report leaks to the landlord in writing, with photos.
Out of the 15 suburbs on this site, Galveston has the most NFIP flood claims (21,608)[1], the fewest flood reports nearby (4)[5], the highest pre-1980 housing share (61%)[2], and the oldest housing (by median year built) (1973)[2].
How a leak spreads inside a wall
Leaked water spreads outward and wicks up drywall the longer it runs.
water damage help in Galveston: what to do next
Requests go to Water damage restoration contractors serving the Galveston area — ZIP codes 77554, 77550, 77551, 77555.
Before reaching out: what a restoration crew does first
Shared walls and ceilings: Galveston homes by building type
43%[2] of Galveston's homes share walls, floors or ceilings with a neighbour (multi-unit buildings alone: 41%, the 2nd-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 50 or more units: 4,042 of 35,776 housing units[2].
| Building type | Units | Share | Margin of error |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detached house | 20,138 | 56.3% | ±695 |
| Attached house (townhouse, rowhouse) | 747 | 2.1% | ±203 |
| Duplex (2 units) | 1,681 | 4.7% | ±336 |
| 3–4 units | 2,087 | 5.8% | ±326 |
| 5–9 units | 2,125 | 5.9% | ±326 |
| 10–19 units | 3,342 | 9.3% | ±497 |
| 20–49 units | 1,443 | 4.0% | ±239 |
| 50 or more units | 4,042 | 11.3% | ±422 |
| Mobile home | 171 | 0.5% | ±82 |
Margins of error are the Census Bureau’s 90% intervals; small categories in small cities are rough.
Galveston by the numbers
| Measure | Galveston | Median of 15 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NFIP flood claims (area ZIPs) | 21,608 | 4,628 | 16,980 more |
| Built before 1980 | 61% | 28% | 33 pts higher |
| Flood reports (10 mi) | 4 | 15 | 11 fewer |
| Renter-occupied | 54% | 43% | 10 pts higher |
| Owner-occupied | 46% | 57% | 10 pts lower |
| Median home value | $326,000 | $311,400 | 5% higher |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1993 | 20 years older |
Largest differences first. Medians are the middle value across the covered Houston-area suburbs, from the same sources.
| City | NFIP claims | Flood reports ≤10 mi | Freeze days | Built before 1980 | Renting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Galveston | 21,608 | 4 | 1 | 61% | 54% |
| Texas City 17.7 mi | 12,018 | 12 | 1 | 44% | 43% |
| League City 22.7 mi | 19,518 | 32 | 1 | 14% | 25% |
| Friendswood 26.3 mi | 6,059 | 30 | 1 | 30% | 23% |
| Pearland 33.4 mi | 5,580 | 17 | 1 | 11% | 24% |
| La Porte 33.6 mi | 4,801 | 18 | 4 | 42% | 29% |
| ZIP | Claims | Paid | Busiest year | Outside high-risk zones |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 77554 | 6,962 | $144,148,962 | 2008 (4868) | 20 of 6,962 |
| 77550 | 8,119 | $319,491,084 | 2008 (5399) | 1,216 of 8,115 |
| 77551 | 6,508 | $358,474,345 | 2008 (3832) | 385 of 6,503 |
| 77555 | 19 | $3,244,120 | 2008 (11) | 0 of 19 |
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 | 4 |
| 2024 | 283 |
| 2023 | 4 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2021 | 48 |
| 2020 | 108 |
| 2019 | 54 |
| 2018 | 63 |
| 2017 | 882 |
| 2016 | 43 |
| 2015 | 52 |
| Month | Claims |
|---|---|
| January | 41 |
| February | 55 |
| March | 45 |
| April | 44 |
| May | 33 |
| June | 313 |
| July | 769 |
| August | 3,798 |
| September | 16,017 |
| October | 352 |
| November | 106 |
| December | 35 |
| Date | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 2, 2024 | Flash Flood | 9.1 mi |
| Sep 29, 2018 | Flash Flood | 5.5 mi |
| Sep 3, 2018 | Flash Flood | 3.0 mi |
| Jun 4, 2016 | Flash Flood | 9.3 mi |
| ZIP (ZCTA) | Share of Galveston's land | Share of the ZIP inside the city |
|---|---|---|
| 77554 | 72% | 95% |
| 77550 | 18% | 100% |
| 77551 | 10% | 100% |
| 77555 | 0% | 100% |
water damage questions from Galveston homeowners
Do I need flood insurance in Galveston?
Homeowners policies exclude outside floodwater[9], and Galveston-area ZIPs have 1,493 NFIP claims in just the last ten years[1].
Which Galveston ZIP codes do these crews cover?
77554, 77550, 77551, and 77555[7], in Galveston County. Nearby pages: Texas City (17.7 mi), League City (22.7 mi), and Friendswood (26.3 mi)[4].
Which Galveston ZIP code has the most flood claims?
77550, with 8,119 NFIP claims and $319,491,084 paid[1].
When was the last flood report near Galveston?
Sep 2, 2024: a flash flood report 9.1 miles from the city center[5].
A lot of Galveston homes predate 1980 — what does that mean for plumbing fixtures and water heater work?
61% of Galveston's housing units were built before 1980, 32.2% before 1960[2] — the 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 Galveston. Who arranges the repair?
54% of occupied Galveston homes are rented[2], the 2nd-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.