Brown County, TX
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Brown County has experienced 25 federally declared disasters since 1989, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Brown County's highest-rated hazards are hail, wildfire, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 81% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (91st 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. Brown County has been designated in 25 declarations since 1989, covering 7 disaster types including fire (7), flood (5), severe storm (5).
| 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 |
| 2018 | Fire | 259 Fire |
| 2016 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds And Flooding |
| 2011 | Fire | Wildfires |
Showing the 10 most recent of 25 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 Low | 86.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 73 | 9 | 1 | $2.4M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 17 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 61.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 70.5 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 45 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 87.6 | 88 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 72 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 78.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 69.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 44.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 71.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 18 | 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
Brown County ranks in the 91st 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 | 91st | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 74th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 96th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 67th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 94th | 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 | 87th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 86th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 65.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 101 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 36 in 2016–20 vs 65 in 2021–25 (+81% — 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 Brown County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Brown County, Texas are hail, wildfire, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Brown County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Brown County has received 25 federal disaster declarations since 1989, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is fire (7 declarations).
Has Brown County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Brown County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1989.
How does Brown County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Comanche County, TX has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Mills County, TX has the lowest (Very Low). Brown County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Brown County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Brown 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. Brown County's composite score of 65 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 65% of US counties.