Newton County, TX
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Newton County has experienced 30 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Newton County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, wildfire, and lightning, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 36 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is elevated (85th 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. Newton County has been designated in 30 declarations since 1973, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (10), fire (7), flood (4).
| 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 |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Laura |
| 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 |
Showing the 10 most recent of 30 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 | 75 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 29.1 | 14 | 2 | $134.3M |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | 38.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 26.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 47.8 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 45.5 | 9 | 0 | $1.3M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 82.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 23.7 | 12 | 0 | $2K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 19.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 24 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 63.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 19.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 67.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 30.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 25.8 | 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
Newton County ranks in the 85th 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 | 85th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 96th | High |
| Household characteristics | 41st | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 61st | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 78th | 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 | 80th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 77th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 90.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 36 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 19 in 2016–20 vs 17 in 2021–25 (-11% — frequency decreasing).
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 Newton County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Newton County, Texas are hurricane, wildfire, and lightning. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Newton County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Newton County has received 30 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (10 declarations).
Has Newton County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Newton 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 Newton County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Calcasieu Parish, LA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Sabine County, TX has the lowest (Very Low). Newton County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Newton County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Newton 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. Newton County's composite score of 27 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 27% of US counties.