Bexar County, TX
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Bexar County has experienced 31 federally declared disasters since 1989, most recently Flooding in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Bexar County's highest-rated hazards are tornado, hail, and inland flooding, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 18% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (92nd 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. Bexar County has been designated in 31 declarations since 1989, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (12), fire (8), flood (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2025 | Fire | Duke Fire |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Tropical Storms Marco And Laura |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Hanna |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Harvey |
| 2011 | Fire | Pat Gross Fire |
Showing the 10 most recent of 31 total declarations since 1989.
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 | 92.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very High | 99.7 | 181 | 18 | $23.2M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 61.9 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | 99.4 | 13 | 66 | — |
| Tornado | Very High | 99.9 | 5 | 0 | $500K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 83.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very High | 99.9 | 294 | 0 | $1.4B |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 87.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 88.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 79.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 94.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 96.5 | 3 | 1 | $1.1M |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 69.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 85.2 | 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
Bexar County ranks in the 92nd 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 | 92nd | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 90th | High |
| Household characteristics | 86th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 97th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 77th | 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 | 63rd | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 64th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 17.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 495 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 227 in 2016–20 vs 268 in 2021–25 (+18% — 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 Bexar County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Bexar County, Texas are tornado, hail, and inland flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Bexar County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Bexar County has received 31 federal disaster declarations since 1989, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (12 declarations).
Has Bexar County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Bexar County include Flooding (2026), Duke Fire (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1989.
How does Bexar County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Comal County, TX has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Atascosa County, TX has the lowest (Relatively Low). Bexar County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Bexar County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Bexar 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. Bexar County's composite score of 99 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 99% of US counties.