Dallas County, TX
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Dallas County has experienced 28 federally declared disasters since 1966, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very High — among the most at-risk counties in the country.
Dallas County's highest-rated hazards are hail, heat wave, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 133% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (89th 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. Dallas County has been designated in 28 declarations since 1966, covering 8 disaster types including hurricane (8), severe storm (6), flood (4).
| 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 | Hurricane | Tropical Storms Marco And Laura |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Harvey |
| 2016 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds And Flooding |
| 2008 | Fire | Wildfires |
Showing the 10 most recent of 28 total declarations since 1966.
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 | 80.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very High | 99.6 | 132 | 4 | $1.4B |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 91.3 | 15 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very High | 99.9 | 55 | 4 | — |
| Tornado | Very High | 99.8 | 12 | 0 | $2.0B |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 73.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very High | 100 | 197 | 0 | $4.1M |
| Strong Wind | Very High | 98.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very High | 98.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very High | 99.7 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very High | 99.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very High | 98.1 | 12 | 2 | $1.4M |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 34.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 46.4 | 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
Dallas County ranks in the 89th 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 | 89th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 93rd | High |
| Household characteristics | 72nd | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 97th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 72nd | Moderate |
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 | 50th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 49th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 14.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 396 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 119 in 2016–20 vs 277 in 2021–25 (+133% — 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 Dallas County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Dallas County, Texas are hail, heat wave, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very High — among the most at-risk counties in the country.
Has Dallas County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Dallas County has received 28 federal disaster declarations since 1966, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (8 declarations).
Has Dallas County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Dallas County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1966.
How does Dallas County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Tarrant County, TX has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Rockwall County, TX has the lowest (Relatively Low). Dallas County is rated Very High overall.
How is Dallas County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Dallas 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. Dallas County's composite score of 100 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 100% of US counties.