Grimes County, TX
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Grimes County has experienced 27 federally declared disasters since 1993, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Grimes County's highest-rated hazards are drought, hurricane, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 19% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (87th 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. Grimes County has been designated in 27 declarations since 1993, covering 8 disaster types including hurricane (7), flood (6), fire (6).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Beryl |
| 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 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Harvey |
| 2016 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 27 total declarations since 1993.
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 | 59.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 35.3 | 15 | 0 | $1.3M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 19.5 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 58.3 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 76 | 5 | 0 | $400K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 84.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 30.2 | 7 | 0 | $4K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 38.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 13 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 57.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 81.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 77.8 | 1 | 0 | $15K |
| Drought | Relatively High | 93.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 12.7 | 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
Grimes County ranks in the 87th 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 | 87th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 84th | High |
| Household characteristics | 78th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 80th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 78th | 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 | 67th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 65th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 82.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 35 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 16 in 2016–20 vs 19 in 2021–25 (+19% — 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 Grimes County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Grimes County, Texas are drought, hurricane, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Grimes County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Grimes County has received 27 federal disaster declarations since 1993, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (7 declarations).
Has Grimes County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Grimes County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024), Hurricane Beryl (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1993.
How does Grimes County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Montgomery County, TX has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Madison County, TX has the lowest (Very Low). Grimes County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Grimes County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Grimes 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. Grimes County's composite score of 57 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 57% of US counties.