DeWitt County, TX
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
DeWitt County has experienced 22 federally declared disasters since 1967, most recently Hurricane Beryl in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
DeWitt County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, inland flooding, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 24 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is elevated (84th 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. DeWitt County has been designated in 22 declarations since 1967, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (9), flood (4), severe ice storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Beryl |
| 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 |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds And Flooding |
| 2008 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ike |
| 2008 | Hurricane | Hurricane Gustav |
| 2006 | Fire | Extreme Wildfire Threat |
Showing the 10 most recent of 22 total declarations since 1967.
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 | 67.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 89.2 | 10 | 0 | $3.0M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 21.3 | 7 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 66.6 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 70.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 90.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 67.4 | 12 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 34.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 35.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 33.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 73.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 63 | 1 | 0 | $50K |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 72 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 17 | 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
DeWitt County ranks in the 84th 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 | 84th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 79th | High |
| Household characteristics | 54th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 85th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 91st | 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 | 65th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 63rd | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 72.2% | — |
NOAA tracked 24 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 5 in 2016–20 vs 19 in 2021–25 .
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 DeWitt County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in DeWitt County, Texas are hurricane, inland flooding, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has DeWitt County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. DeWitt County has received 22 federal disaster declarations since 1967, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (9 declarations).
Has DeWitt County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for DeWitt County include Hurricane Beryl (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1967.
How does DeWitt County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Victoria County, TX has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Goliad County, TX has the lowest (Very Low). DeWitt County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is DeWitt County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
DeWitt 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. DeWitt County's composite score of 84 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 84% of US counties.