Burleson County, TX
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Burleson County has experienced 22 federally declared disasters since 1988, most recently Hurricane Beryl in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Burleson County's highest-rated hazards are drought, hurricane, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 29% 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. Burleson County has been designated in 22 declarations since 1988, covering 9 disaster types including hurricane (6), flood (4), fire (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Beryl |
| 2023 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Harvey |
| 2016 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds And Flooding |
| 2008 | Fire | Wildfires |
Showing the 10 most recent of 22 total declarations since 1988.
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 | Very Low | 42.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 34.9 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 17.7 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 47.6 | 6 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 36.5 | 3 | 0 | $130K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 72.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 55.5 | 28 | 0 | $103K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 29.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 33.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 55.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 60.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 34.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 84.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 16.8 | 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
Burleson County ranks in the 50th percentile (Moderate) 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 | 50th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 40th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 54th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 74th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 47th | 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 | 58th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 57th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 81.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 39 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 17 in 2016–20 vs 22 in 2021–25 (+29% — 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 Burleson County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Burleson County, Texas are drought, hurricane, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Burleson County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Burleson County has received 22 federal disaster declarations since 1988, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (6 declarations).
Has Burleson County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Burleson County include Hurricane Beryl (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1988.
How does Burleson County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Brazos County, TX has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Robertson County, TX has the lowest (Very Low). Burleson County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Burleson County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Burleson 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. Burleson County's composite score of 29 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 29% of US counties.