Bell County, TX
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Bell County has experienced 23 federally declared disasters since 1975, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Bell County's highest-rated hazards are tornado, hail, and lightning, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 147% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (94th percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Bell County has been designated in 23 declarations since 1975, covering 8 disaster types including fire (7), hurricane (4), flood (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 |
| 2008 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2008 | Fire | Rein Street Fire |
| 2008 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ike |
| 2007 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2006 | Fire | Rosewood Fire |
Showing the 10 most recent of 23 total declarations since 1975.
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 Moderate | 89.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 89.2 | 55 | 1 | $157K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 38.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 94.5 | 47 | 1 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 98.6 | 9 | 0 | $7.6M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 79 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively High | 98.6 | 122 | 0 | $3.1M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 77.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 95.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 75.7 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 95.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very High | 97.2 | 3 | 2 | $272K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 62 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 41.3 | 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
Bell County ranks in the 94th percentile (High) 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 | 94th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 89th | High |
| Household characteristics | 89th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 90th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 88th | High |
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 | 70th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 72nd | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 36.3% | — |
NOAA tracked 236 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 68 in 2016–20 vs 168 in 2021–25 (+147% — 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 Bell County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Bell County, Texas are tornado, hail, and lightning. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Bell County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Bell County has received 23 federal disaster declarations since 1975, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is fire (7 declarations).
Has Bell County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Bell County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1975.
How does Bell County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, McLennan County, TX has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Falls County, TX has the lowest (Very Low). Bell County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Bell County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Bell 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. Bell County's composite score of 91 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 91% of US counties.