Falls County, TX
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Falls County has experienced 16 federally declared disasters since 1975, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Falls County's highest-rated hazards are tornado, hurricane, and drought, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 164% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (97th 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. Falls County has been designated in 16 declarations since 1975, covering 8 disaster types including flood (3), fire (3), hurricane (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 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 |
| 2016 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2008 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2006 | Fire | Extreme Wildfire Threat |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Rita |
Showing the 10 most recent of 16 total declarations since 1975.
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 | 54.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 24.1 | 10 | 1 | $55K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 21.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 53.8 | 44 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 69.9 | 5 | 0 | $202K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 68 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 62 | 20 | 0 | $285K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 26 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 39.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 31.7 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 49.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 59.5 | 1 | 0 | $1K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 62.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 10.6 | 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
Falls County ranks in the 97th 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 | 97th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 98th | High |
| Household characteristics | 51st | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 87th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 99th | 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 | 54th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 54th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 66.2% | — |
NOAA tracked 80 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 22 in 2016–20 vs 58 in 2021–25 (+164% — 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 Falls County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Falls County, Texas are tornado, hurricane, and drought. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Falls County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Falls County has received 16 federal disaster declarations since 1975, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is flood (3 declarations).
Has Falls County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Falls County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1975.
How does Falls County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, McLennan County, TX has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Robertson County, TX has the lowest (Very Low). Falls County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Falls County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Falls 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. Falls County's composite score of 26 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 26% of US counties.