Hamilton County, TX
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Hamilton County has experienced 18 federally declared disasters since 1990, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding in 2025. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Hamilton County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, hail, and drought, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 69% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Hamilton County has been designated in 18 declarations since 1990, covering 7 disaster types including fire (4), flood (3), hurricane (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2024 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2009 | Fire | 617 Fire |
| 2008 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2007 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2006 | Fire | Extreme Wildfire Threat |
Showing the 10 most recent of 18 total declarations since 1990.
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 | 84.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 17.1 | 12 | 0 | $40K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 10.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 29.1 | 35 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 46.6 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 46.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 53.5 | 46 | 0 | $468K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 20.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 32 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 14.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 39.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 34.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 50.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 9.1 | 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
Hamilton County ranks in the 66th 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 | 66th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 60th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 96th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 48th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 31st | Low |
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 | 89th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 90th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 81.6% | — |
NOAA tracked 94 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 35 in 2016–20 vs 59 in 2021–25 (+69% — 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 Hamilton County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Hamilton County, Texas are wildfire, hail, and drought. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Hamilton County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Hamilton County has received 18 federal disaster declarations since 1990, including declarations in 2025. The most common disaster type on record is fire (4 declarations).
Has Hamilton County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Hamilton County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1990.
How does Hamilton County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Erath County, TX has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Mills County, TX has the lowest (Very Low). Hamilton County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Hamilton County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Hamilton 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. Hamilton County's composite score of 13 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 13% of US counties.