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Home Insurance in Kemah, TX
Side-by-side numbers for Kemah, Galveston County and the state, covering housing, hazards and flood insurance.
$5,827/yr
About $486/mo · ~$300k-$400k dwelling class
$3,788/yr
About $316/mo after modeled shopping discount
About 35% below local market estimate
How Kemah homes compare
| Measure | Kemah | Galveston County | Texas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $281,100 | $314,600 | $283,800 |
| Median year built | 1997 | 1990 | 1992 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 54% | 68% | 63% |
| Single-family detached | 62% | 72% | 64% |
| Built before 1980 | 27% | 36% | 33% |
| Built 2000 or later | 43% | 38% | 39% |
| Manufactured homes | 3% | 4% | 6% |
Kemah’s housing is younger than Galveston County’s overall (1997 versus 1990 median year built). Owner-occupancy is lower than the county figure (54% versus 68%).
Census data shows a median home value of $281,100 in Kemah. The Galveston County median is similar, at $314,600. Land value is part of a sale price but not of a rebuild, so the right Coverage A figure can be well above or below market value.
Weather risk in Galveston County, rated
| Hazard | FEMA NRI rating | NOAA reports, 2016–2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Hail | Relatively Low | 18 hail reports |
| Tornadoes | Relatively High | 11 tornadoes |
| Strong wind | Relatively Moderate | 48 thunderstorm wind reports |
| Inland flooding | Relatively High | 43 flash floods |
| Hurricanes | Relatively High | – |
| Coastal flooding | Relatively High | – |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | – |
| Winter weather | Very Low | – |
| Drought | Relatively High | – |
| Lightning | Very High | – |
FEMA’s National Risk Index rates overall natural-hazard risk in Galveston County as relatively high. Hazard by hazard, the strongest scores are for lightning (very high), cold waves (very high) and tornadoes (relatively high).
FEMA has issued 11 natural-hazard major disaster declarations covering Galveston County since 2000. The most recent include Hurricane Beryl (2024), Severe Winter Storms (2021) and Hurricane Laura (2020).
Turning the Kemah numbers into coverage choices
- Because Galveston County is among the 14 first-tier coastal counties, Kemah is eligible for windstorm and hail coverage from TWIA when the private market will not write it.
- Because Kemah is an NFIP participating community, homeowners can buy National Flood Insurance Program coverage. Its flood map now in force took effect in August 2019. NFIP data counts 52,889 residential flood policies in Galveston County, about 1 for every 2 homes. Galveston County has produced 10,476 NFIP claims from 2016 on. Standard homeowners policies exclude flood, and a new NFIP policy generally has a 30-day waiting period.
- 1997 is the median year built for housing units in Kemah. The split is roughly 27% pre-1980 construction versus 43% built from 2000 on. Homes from the 1980s and 1990s are now old enough that many are on a second roof, and insurers commonly ask when it was replaced.
Contacts for Kemah homeowners
The Galveston County appraisal district (www.galvestoncad.org) publishes the square footage, year built and improvements insurers use to estimate rebuild cost. The district office address is 9850 Emmett F. Lowry Expwy, Suite A Texas City, TX 77591. For local warnings, the responsible National Weather Service office is NWS Houston/Galveston, TX. The associated NEXRAD radar is KHGX.
Kemah sits within Galveston County. The federal delineation treats Galveston County as part of the wider Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands metro, on its outer ring. By straight-line distance, Kemah is about 6 miles northeast of League City.
Questions Kemah homeowners ask
What does FEMA’s risk index say about Galveston County?
Galveston County is rated relatively high overall in FEMA’s National Risk Index. The highest individual ratings are for lightning (very high), cold waves (very high) and tornadoes (relatively high). Flood is the one that needs its own policy; the others are generally covered perils with deductibles.
Can I get TWIA windstorm coverage in Kemah?
Yes. Galveston County is one of the 14 first-tier coastal counties in TWIA’s designated catastrophe area, so eligible homes can buy windstorm and hail coverage from TWIA when private carriers exclude it.
Should I insure my Kemah home for its market value?
Not necessarily. The Census median home value in Kemah is $281,100, but Coverage A should match the cost to rebuild, which excludes land and can be higher or lower than market value. Ask for a replacement-cost estimate based on square footage and finishes.
What coverage do landlords and tenants need in Kemah?
Renters occupy about 46% of homes in Kemah. Landlords generally need a DP-1, DP-2 or DP-3 dwelling policy, and tenants need renters insurance, because the landlord’s policy does not cover a tenant’s belongings.
Compare Kemah home insurance quotes
Compare carriers with Texas Insurance Resources. Call 800-875-4711 or request a quote online.
Data sources and notes
Public data current as of October 2026; Census figures are survey estimates. Premium figures in the estimate cards are illustrative models, not quotes.
- Census Bureau ACS five-year data, Kemah city: population, tenure, median year built, year built, home value, structure type
- Storm Events Database (NOAA), Galveston County
- OpenFEMA NFIP data, Galveston County
- Texas property tax directory, Galveston County
- Texas Windstorm Insurance Association
- NWS Houston/Galveston, TX
- FEMA declared disasters, Galveston County
- FEMA Community Status Book
- Comparison figures: Galveston County value, Galveston County build year, Texas value
- OMB metro and micro areas
- Census Gazetteer coordinates
- Texas Comptroller regions
- FEMA National Risk Index, Galveston County