Latest FEMA Data from Texas Floods Available on Disaster Equity Data Portal

AUSTIN, Texas—Texas Appleseed has launched a new dashboard to monitor Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assistance claims stemming from the catastrophic flooding in Central Texas this July. The 2025 Central Texas Floods dashboard, housed on the Disaster Equity Data Portal, covers the 10 Texas counties with disaster declarations that include Individual Assistance.

The dashboard disaggregates the number of applications, outcomes, and self-reports of home damage by county and zip code. It also details the eligibility rate determined by FEMA, average dollar amount of assistance provided, and applicant characteristics like age, income, home type, and insurance status.

“The dashboard will be updated on an approximately weekly basis as FEMA continues to release new data and respond to the damage from the floods,” said John Laycock, senior research analyst for Texas Appleseed. “We hope that by making this data more accessible, we can better identify potential problems, such as areas that might be underserved, and leverage the data to advocate for those communities.”

Key Data Points as of August 2
More than 6,500 applications for assistance have been submitted to FEMA. Residents apply to FEMA’s Individuals & Households Program and then may be referred to either or both Other Needs Assistance, which covers expenses like groceries, gas, and personal property damage, or Housing Assistance, which can be used to pay rent and make home repairs.

The data reveals that Nearly 38% of applicants reported that their home is either uninhabitable or was completely destroyed by the floods, but only 3% of applicants had flood insurance, and only 28% of applicants had homeowners insurance. Because so many residents are uninsured, FEMA assistance is especially critical for recovery; however, FEMA housing assistance is not intended to fully repair or rebuild a home, and the average amount of aid received for home repairs is $8,426.31. 

In Kerr County, where the most severe flooding occurred, only 17% of applicants have been deemed eligible by FEMA for assistance, which is significantly lower than the 36% average eligibility rate across all 10 counties with a disaster declaration. The data also reveals that applicants are more financially vulnerable than the average Texan: Over 67% of residents who have applied for assistance report earning less than $60,000 per year, and 38% make $30,000 or less. The median household income in Texas was $75,780 in 2023. 

“What this data already shows is that disaster survivors need more help, not less,” said Madison Sloan, director of Texas Appleseed’s Disaster Recovery and Fair Housing Project. “That’s a pattern we see over multiple disasters and a message we hear from disaster survivors in Texas and across the country. The federal disaster recovery system needs to be reformed, not eliminated, and state and local governments need to step up to fill the funding gaps so that families devastated by these floods can fully recover and be better protected from the next disaster.”

How to Apply for Assistance
The deadline to apply for Individual Assistance is September 4, 2025. People who do not live in one of the 10 declared counties, but who were present during the disaster, may be eligible for Other Needs Assistance to cover expenses related to the disaster, such as medical/dental, transportation, funeral, and personal property needs.

Residents who have received a denial letter from FEMA may still be eligible for assistance. FEMA often uses denial letters to request additional information, and applicants have 60 days from the date of the FEMA decision letter to submit their appeal. 

For assistance with FEMA appeals and other disaster-related legal issues, survivors can call Texas RioGrande Legal Aid’s hotline at (956) 996-8752 and push 3 for a disaster intake or visit their website for disaster resources at TRLA.org/disaster. 

Texas Appleseed’s Homeowner’s Insurance and Disasters resource offers information on filing a claim. Texas Appleseed will continue to monitor FEMA data and identify ways to aid in disaster recovery for Central Texans. 

About Texas Appleseed
As one of the most trusted resources for data-driven policy analysis and solutions, Texas Appleseed advocates at the state and local level for fair, just, and equitable laws. Our work has shaped hundreds of laws and positively affected millions of Texans by breaking down barriers through transformative policy solutions. Visit www.TexasAppleseed.org for more information.

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