Baylor County, TX
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Baylor County has experienced 19 federally declared disasters since 1979, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Baylor County's highest-rated hazards are drought, wildfire, and hail, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 19% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Baylor County has been designated in 19 declarations since 1979, covering 8 disaster types including severe storm (4), fire (4), hurricane (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds And Flooding |
| 2011 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2008 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2007 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 19 total declarations since 1979.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 64.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 15.6 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 20.2 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 32.7 | 11 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 33.8 | 6 | 0 | $700K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 31.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 62.7 | 47 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 62.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 11.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 28.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 16.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 1.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively High | 94.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 42.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Baylor County ranks in the 46th percentile (Low) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 46th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 54th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 53rd | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 53rd | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 26th | Low |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 89th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 90th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 36.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 68 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 31 in 2016–20 vs 37 in 2021–25 (+19% — frequency increasing).
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Baylor County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Baylor County, Texas are drought, wildfire, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Baylor County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Baylor County has received 19 federal disaster declarations since 1979, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (4 declarations).
Has Baylor County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Baylor County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1979.
How does Baylor County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Wichita County, TX has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Throckmorton County, TX has the lowest (Very Low). Baylor County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Baylor County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Baylor County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Baylor County's composite score of 18 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 18% of US counties.