Key facts: Dickinson
Slow water near the bay
Near the bay, drainage slows when tides and storm water meet. Water can linger, so don't wait for it to clear before calling.
Mobile and raised homes
Skirting and insulation under raised homes hold water. Have the underside checked as well as the floors.
Flood claims recorded in Galveston County
Dickinson sits in Galveston County. FEMA publishes every National Flood Insurance Program claim with personal details removed, which gives a plain record of where water has reached insured buildings here.
| Measure | Count |
|---|---|
| Flood insurance claims on record | 60,620 |
| Year with the most claims | 2008 (22,606) |
| Largest named event | Hurricane Ike (22,382) |
| Claims outside high-risk A and V zones | 31% |
| Claims on buildings built before 1975 | 54% |
County-wide counts of insured claims only. Uninsured losses, burst pipes and appliance leaks are not in this data.
What the Dickinson claim record shows
For Dickinson homes, the local precedents are the events behind the most Galveston County claims: Hurricane Ike (22,382 claims), Hurricane Harvey (8,712 claims) and Flooding (7,575 claims).
About 31% of claims with a recorded zone came from outside the high-risk A and V zones, so a moderate-risk label does not mean a Dickinson home stays dry.
If your Dickinson home is older, note that buildings from before 1975 make up 54% of county claims with a known build date. Many predate current flood maps, so inspect low outlets, ductwork and subfloors closely after any water event.
Federal disaster history for Galveston County
FEMA lists 31 federal declarations covering Galveston County. The most common types are hurricane (14), flood (5) and severe storm (3). The latest are Hurricane Beryl in 2024, Severe Winter Storms in 2021 and Severe Winter Storm in 2021. When a declaration is open, federal aid may be available to Dickinson residents, so ask about it alongside your insurance claim.
Dickinson weather and your home
Weather records for Dickinson from 2015 through 2024 average 76 inches of precipitation a year, and May and September are the wettest months. The area averages 18.7 days a year with an inch or more.
Freezing nights are rare, at about 4 a year in Dickinson, so the bigger concerns are storms, plumbing failures and humidity.
At 19 heavy-rain days a year, clear gutters matter in Dickinson, and doors and low windows are worth watching.
When rain falls in Dickinson
Seasonal averages for Dickinson, 2015 through 2024. Plan roof, gutter and sump pump checks before the wettest stretch.
| Season | Average | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| January to March | 14.7 in | 19% |
| April to June | 22.3 in | 29% |
| July to September | 23.9 in | 31% |
| October to December | 15.6 in | 20% |
Modeled from Open-Meteo historical weather data. Precipitation includes rain and melted snow.
Dickinson home checklist from these records
- Don't rely on recent quiet years. Only 18% of Galveston County claims date from 2015 or later, so older floods still show what can happen.
- Test any sump pump before May, since Dickinson averages 19 days a year with an inch or more.
- Keep dated photos of each room. After Hurricane Ike, 22,382 insured Galveston County owners filed claims at about the same time.
What to tell the Dickinson contractor
- Distance to the bayou
- Your home type
- Whether water is still rising
Services Dickinson callers ask about
Questions
Dickinson water damage questions
Is it safe to return after flooding?
Wait for clearance, and treat floodwater as contaminated.
Can insulation under a raised home be dried?
Usually it's replaced.