Texas Porch
Flood Maps Practical

Flood maps for this county were recently revised

Matagorda County Home & Property

FEMA updates Flood Insurance Rate Maps, or FIRMs, from time to time. These maps show which areas face a high risk of flooding. Revised preliminary maps for all of Matagorda County, including areas outside city limits, were released for public review in January 2025.

If a map update places your property in a Special Flood Hazard Area, your mortgage lender will likely require you to buy flood insurance. Even when it is not required, flooding is a real danger in this low-lying coastal county.

Use the FEMA Map Service Center to look up any address and see its flood zone status.

Content last revised 2026-07-11

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More stories and useful context near Matagorda County

A balanced next shelf: local character first, with practical context close by.

Stories & local character

Bay City replaced an older town as the county seat in 1894

Bay City was founded in 1894 on the Bay Prairie between the Colorado River and Caney Creek, then quickly grew into a railroad and rice-farming hub.

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Practical

A local district regulates groundwater in this county

If you plan to drill a water well in Matagorda County, you must work with the Coastal Plains Groundwater Conservation District.

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Stories & local character

A large nuclear power plant operates in this county

The South Texas Project nuclear power plant, about 12 miles south of Bay City, is one of the largest nuclear stations in the country and a major local employer.

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Practical

Coastal homes may need windstorm insurance through the state

Matagorda County is in TWIA's coastal coverage area, so wind and hail insurance can involve extra steps before closing.

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Place pages in Matagorda County

Bay CityPalacios

Nearby county shelves

Jackson (7) Wharton (12) Calhoun (16) Brazoria (39) Fort Bend (58) Victoria (24)