Hardin County, TX
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Hardin County has experienced 32 federally declared disasters since 1973, 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.
Hardin County's highest-rated hazards are lightning, ice storm, and hurricane, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 36% 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. Hardin County has been designated in 32 declarations since 1973, covering 8 disaster types including hurricane (9), severe storm (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 |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Harvey |
| 2016 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2016 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 32 total declarations since 1973.
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 | 82.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 66.7 | 30 | 0 | $608.6M |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | 34.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 31.2 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 69 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 85.1 | 2 | 0 | $26K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 87.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 25.5 | 25 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 37.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 44.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 88.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 72.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 89.9 | 1 | 1 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 41.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 17.7 | 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
Hardin County ranks in the 65th 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 | 65th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 53rd | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 90th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 45th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 53rd | 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 | 81st | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 78th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 75.3% | — |
NOAA tracked 59 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 25 in 2016–20 vs 34 in 2021–25 (+36% — 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 Hardin County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Hardin County, Texas are lightning, ice storm, and hurricane. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Hardin County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Hardin County has received 32 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (9 declarations).
Has Hardin County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Hardin County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024), Hurricane Beryl (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does Hardin County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Jefferson County, TX has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Tyler County, TX has the lowest (Relatively Low). Hardin County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Hardin County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Hardin 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. Hardin County's composite score of 70 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 70% of US counties.