Rice University has released a new survey showing that Houston’s lower-income families are much less ready for natural disasters than wealthier residents, with money standing in the way at every step, from purchasing backup power sources to setting aside funds for emergencies.
Houston Public Media’s survey asked Houston-area residents about 10 precautionary actions included in FEMA’s National Household Survey, and found that residents reported taking five on average. Signing up for weather reports and insuring property were common. Making emergency plans and practicing drills drew considerably less attention.
Income Gaps in Preparedness
Lower-income households reported a lack of preparedness for natural emergencies. Forty-nine percent of participants from households making less than $25,000 said they would be “not at all” or “not too prepared” if disaster struck. Those in that financial bracket were less likely than those making $150,000 or more to take steps to make their homes safer, such as documenting and insuring property, and saving for a rainy day.
They were also least likely to own a generator.
Generators and the Beryl Power Outage
Generator ownership was a key focus of the survey, especially after millions were left without power when Hurricane Beryl hit Houston in 2024. The survey showed that 49% of participants who purchased generators did so during or after Beryl. Well over half of Houstonians did not have generators.
Households making less than $25,000 were the least likely to own one.
County-by-County Generator Rates
For the first time, the survey covered both Fort Bend and Montgomery counties. Of those surveyed in Montgomery County, more than half said they owned a generator. The corresponding figure for Harris County was 38%, while Fort Bend’s number stood at 35%.
| County | Generator Ownership |
|---|---|
| Montgomery | Over half |
| Harris | 38% |
| Fort Bend | 35% |
Neighborhood Disparities
Within neighborhoods, the report uncovered a wide gap in generator ownership. Magnolia residents lead with seventy percent owning one. In contrast, only 18% of those living in the Medical Center, Museum District, and Third Ward can say the same.
What Potter Says
The Houston Population Research Center’s co-director Daniel Potter pointed to organizations such as West Street Recovery and United Way as resources for low-income residents looking to get ready for natural disasters. His argument centers on the importance of staying connected to alerts and necessary networks, which he described as one of the most effective ways to prepare for emergencies.
“Houston, unfortunately, is a 12-month-a-year disaster zone, and so it’s not just about paying attention during hurricane season, but getting plugged in and being aware of what’s going on throughout the year to make sure folks are ready to be prepared,” Potter said. “It’s not going to stop that disaster from happening, but it’ll hopefully situate people to be better able to recover.”
The Price of Preparedness
Potter pointed to the cost of preparedness steps as a key driver of the gap. “Some of them that have a little bit of a price tag attached to them are going to be a little bit more challenging for people to do who are earning less money,” he said. “Whereas for folks that are making more money, they may find that a little bit easier to do, and so this ultimately contributes to people taking different numbers of steps based upon the resources that they have.”
What Comes Next
Galveston County will come under the Greater Houston Community Panels’ scope from late 2026 into early 2027.
Resources for Readiness
At Txready.org, you will find resources and guides aimed at improving disaster preparedness.
Source material: “Rice University study finds income disparities in natural disaster preparedness,” Houston Public Media.
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