Rockwall County, TX
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Rockwall County has experienced 17 federally declared disasters since 1966, 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.
Rockwall County's highest-rated hazards are tornado, hail, and heat wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 127% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (12th percentile nationally), indicating stronger recovery capacity than most US counties.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Rockwall County has been designated in 17 declarations since 1966, covering 8 disaster types including severe storm (3), fire (3), hurricane (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2016 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2008 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2006 | Fire | Extreme Wildfire Threat |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Rita |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Rita |
Showing the 10 most recent of 17 total declarations since 1966.
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 | 66.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 61.3 | 4 | 0 | $7K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 43.5 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 90.1 | 47 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 93.7 | 4 | 0 | $10.5M |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 34 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 93.1 | 31 | 0 | $64.6M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 74.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 32.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 54.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 73.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 38.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 35.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 14 | 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
Rockwall County ranks in the 12th percentile (Very low) 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 | 12th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 9th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 28th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 71st | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 9th | Very low |
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 | 57th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 59th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 29.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 85 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 26 in 2016–20 vs 59 in 2021–25 (+127% — 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 Rockwall County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Rockwall County, Texas are tornado, hail, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Rockwall County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Rockwall County has received 17 federal disaster declarations since 1966, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (3 declarations).
Has Rockwall County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Rockwall County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1966.
How does Rockwall County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Dallas County, TX has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very High) and Rains County, TX has the lowest (Very Low). Rockwall County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Rockwall County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Rockwall 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. Rockwall County's composite score of 71 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 71% of US counties.