Jim Wells County, TX
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Jim Wells County has experienced 31 federally declared disasters since 1967, most recently Flooding in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Jim Wells County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, hurricane, and hail, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 465% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (95th 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. Jim Wells County has been designated in 31 declarations since 1967, covering 8 disaster types including hurricane (15), flood (5), severe storm (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Flood | Flooding |
| 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 |
| 2018 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Harvey |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds And Flooding |
| 2010 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Alex |
Showing the 10 most recent of 31 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 | 70.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 63.3 | 25 | 0 | $325K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 23.9 | 2 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 84.4 | 101 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 68.4 | 1 | 0 | $1K |
| Hurricane | Relatively High | 94.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 84.9 | 6 | 0 | $10K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 40.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 32.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 82 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 98.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 53.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 81.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 10 | 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
Jim Wells County ranks in the 95th 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 | 95th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 94th | High |
| Household characteristics | 98th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 98th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 54th | 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 | 79th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 78th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 57.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 133 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 20 in 2016–20 vs 113 in 2021–25 (+465% — 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 Jim Wells County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Jim Wells County, Texas are cold wave, hurricane, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Jim Wells County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Jim Wells County has received 31 federal disaster declarations since 1967, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (15 declarations).
Has Jim Wells County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Jim Wells County include Flooding (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1967.
How does Jim Wells County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Nueces County, TX has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Live Oak County, TX has the lowest (Very Low). Jim Wells County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Jim Wells County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Jim Wells 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. Jim Wells County's composite score of 87 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 87% of US counties.