Fayette County, TX
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Fayette County has experienced 24 federally declared disasters since 1972, most recently Hurricane Beryl in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Fayette County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, drought, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 64 storm events in the county over the past decade.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Fayette County has been designated in 24 declarations since 1972, covering 7 disaster types including flood (6), fire (6), hurricane (5).
| 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 |
| 2016 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2016 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds And Flooding |
| 2011 | Fire | Wildfires |
Showing the 10 most recent of 24 total declarations since 1972.
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 | 49.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 64.8 | 23 | 0 | $50.0M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 22.1 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 58.6 | 6 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 70.8 | 4 | 0 | $4.2M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 80.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 65.8 | 31 | 0 | $50K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 49.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 42.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 41.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 67.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 54.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 73.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 29.4 | 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
Fayette County ranks in the 52nd 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 | 52nd | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 35th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 59th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 67th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 62nd | 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 | 55th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 53rd | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 84.6% | — |
NOAA tracked 64 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 30 in 2016–20 vs 34 in 2021–25 (+13% — 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 Fayette County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Fayette County, Texas are hurricane, drought, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Fayette County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Fayette County has received 24 federal disaster declarations since 1972, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is flood (6 declarations).
Has Fayette County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Fayette County include Hurricane Beryl (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1972.
How does Fayette County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Bastrop County, TX has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Lee County, TX has the lowest (Very Low). Fayette County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Fayette County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Fayette 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. Fayette County's composite score of 58 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 58% of US counties.