Nueces County, TX
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Nueces County has experienced 33 federally declared disasters since 1967, most recently Hurricane Beryl in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Nueces County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, hurricane, and heat wave, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 144% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (94th 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. Nueces County has been designated in 33 declarations since 1967, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (17), flood (5), severe storm (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Hurricane | Hurricane Hanna |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 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 33 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 | 74 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 93.3 | 126 | 0 | $2.4M |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 72.2 | 6 | 0 | $300.2M |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 46.1 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | 98 | 125 | 1 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 96.1 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very High | 98.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 91.6 | 13 | 0 | $710K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 94.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 82.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 81.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very High | 98.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 94.5 | 2 | 0 | $1.1M |
| Drought | Relatively High | 98 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 45.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Insufficient Data | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Nueces County ranks in the 94th 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 | 94th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 93rd | High |
| Household characteristics | 78th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 97th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 85th | 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 | 64th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 66th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 9.6% | — |
NOAA tracked 275 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 80 in 2016–20 vs 195 in 2021–25 (+144% — 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 Nueces County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Nueces County, Texas are cold wave, hurricane, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Nueces County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Nueces County has received 33 federal disaster declarations since 1967, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (17 declarations).
Has Nueces County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Nueces County include Hurricane Beryl (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1967.
How does Nueces County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Jim Wells County, TX has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Refugio County, TX has the lowest (Very Low). Nueces County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Nueces County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Nueces 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. Nueces County's composite score of 97 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 97% of US counties.