Henderson County, TX
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Henderson County has experienced 25 federally declared disasters since 1966, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Henderson County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, tornado, and strong wind, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 132% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (83rd 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. Henderson County has been designated in 25 declarations since 1966, covering 9 disaster types including severe storm (6), flood (4), fire (4).
| 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 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2016 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds And Flooding |
| 2011 | Fire | Wildfires |
Showing the 10 most recent of 25 total declarations since 1966.
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 | 75.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 72.9 | 9 | 0 | $258K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 50.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 87.3 | 47 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 93.5 | 7 | 0 | $4.3M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 66.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 85 | 60 | 0 | $80K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 89.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 67.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 82.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 97.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 83.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 58.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 54.5 | 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
Henderson County ranks in the 83rd 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 | 83rd | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 84th | High |
| Household characteristics | 65th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 60th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 82nd | 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 | 71st | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 68th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 63.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 123 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 37 in 2016–20 vs 86 in 2021–25 (+132% — 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 Henderson County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Henderson County, Texas are cold wave, tornado, and strong wind. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Henderson County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Henderson County has received 25 federal disaster declarations since 1966, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (6 declarations).
Has Henderson County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Henderson County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1966.
How does Henderson County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Smith County, TX has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Freestone County, TX has the lowest (Relatively Low). Henderson County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Henderson County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Henderson 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. Henderson County's composite score of 85 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 85% of US counties.