Ector County, TX
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Ector County has experienced 15 federally declared disasters since 1989, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2021. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Ector County's highest-rated hazards are hail, winter weather, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 203 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is elevated (94th 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. Ector County has been designated in 15 declarations since 1989, covering 5 disaster types including fire (6), hurricane (3), severe ice storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2011 | Fire | Pleasant Farms Fire |
| 2011 | Fire | Bates Field Fire |
| 2008 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2008 | Fire | South Odessa Fire |
| 2006 | Fire | Extreme Wildfire Threat |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Rita |
Showing the 10 most recent of 15 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 | 88.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 81.7 | 50 | 0 | $1.0M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 41 | 17 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 86.2 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 82.4 | 3 | 0 | $230K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 36.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively High | 99.2 | 152 | 0 | $207.1M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 87.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very High | 97.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 76.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 68.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 86 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 59 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 2.1 | 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
Ector County ranks in the 94th 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 | 94th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 94th | High |
| Household characteristics | 79th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 96th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 86th | 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 | 81st | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 72nd | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 37.0% | — |
NOAA tracked 203 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 104 in 2016–20 vs 99 in 2021–25 (-5% — relatively stable).
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 Ector County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Ector County, Texas are hail, winter weather, and wildfire. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Ector County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Ector County has received 15 federal disaster declarations since 1989, including declarations in 2021. The most common disaster type on record is fire (6 declarations).
Has Ector County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Ector County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Winter Storm in 2021.
How does Ector County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Midland County, TX has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Crane County, TX has the lowest (Very Low). Ector County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Ector County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Ector 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. Ector County's composite score of 83 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 83% of US counties.