Polk County, TX
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Polk 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 Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Polk County's highest-rated hazards are lightning, hurricane, and strong wind, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 80% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (92nd 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. Polk County has been designated in 30 declarations since 1973, covering 8 disaster types including hurricane (9), flood (7), severe storm (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 |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Tropical Storms Marco And Laura |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Harvey |
| 2016 | Flood | Severe Storms 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 | 75.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 63.8 | 11 | 0 | $303.6M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 36.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 77.1 | 6 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 87.5 | 2 | 3 | $5.0M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 90 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 20.1 | 23 | 0 | $9K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 88.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 43.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 75.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 86.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 93.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 49.3 | 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
Polk County ranks in the 92nd 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 | 92nd | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 93rd | High |
| Household characteristics | 89th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 65th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 84th | 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 | 70th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 68th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 72.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 42 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 15 in 2016–20 vs 27 in 2021–25 (+80% — 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 Polk County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Polk County, Texas are lightning, hurricane, and strong wind. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Polk County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Polk County has received 30 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (9 declarations).
Has Polk County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Polk 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 Polk County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Liberty County, TX has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and San Jacinto County, TX has the lowest (Relatively Low). Polk County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Polk County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Polk 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. Polk County's composite score of 76 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 76% of US counties.