Hidalgo County, TX
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Hidalgo County has experienced 32 federally declared disasters since 1967, most recently Severe Storms And Flooding in 2025. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Hidalgo County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, hurricane, and hail, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 187% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (98th 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. Hidalgo County has been designated in 32 declarations since 1967, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (15), flood (5), severe storm (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Beryl |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Hanna |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2018 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2016 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 32 total declarations since 1967.
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 | 83.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 96.4 | 54 | 3 | $165.3M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 79 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | 98.8 | 62 | 4 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 96 | 3 | 0 | $500K |
| Hurricane | Very High | 99.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very High | 99.2 | 58 | 0 | $335K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 89.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 95.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very High | 98.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very High | 99.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 93.1 | 1 | 0 | $1K |
| Drought | Relatively High | 98.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 48.3 | 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
Hidalgo County ranks in the 98th 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 | 98th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 100th | High |
| Household characteristics | 89th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 100th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 75th | 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 | 77th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 76th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 24.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 178 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 46 in 2016–20 vs 132 in 2021–25 (+187% — 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 Hidalgo County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Hidalgo County, Texas are cold wave, hurricane, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Hidalgo County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Hidalgo County has received 32 federal disaster declarations since 1967, including declarations in 2025. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (15 declarations).
Has Hidalgo County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Hidalgo County include Severe Storms And Flooding (2025), Hurricane Beryl (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1967.
How does Hidalgo County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Cameron County, TX has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Kenedy County, TX has the lowest (Very Low). Hidalgo County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Hidalgo County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Hidalgo 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. Hidalgo County's composite score of 99 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 99% of US counties.