Starr County, TX
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Starr County has experienced 23 federally declared disasters since 1967, most recently Severe Storms And Flooding in 2025. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Starr County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, wildfire, and heat wave, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 289% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (99th 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. Starr County has been designated in 23 declarations since 1967, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (10), severe storm (3), flood (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Flood | Severe Storms And 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 |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds And Flooding |
| 2010 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Alex |
| 2010 | Hurricane | Hurricane Alex |
| 2008 | Fire | Wildfires |
Showing the 10 most recent of 23 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 | 84.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 72.4 | 16 | 0 | $3.1M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 29.7 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 81.5 | 48 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 38.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 78.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 67.2 | 27 | 0 | $7K |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 14.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 40.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 60.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very High | 99 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 21.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 69.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 30.9 | 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
Starr County ranks in the 99th 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 | 99th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 100th | High |
| Household characteristics | 97th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 100th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 72nd | 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 | 90th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 89th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 41.2% | — |
NOAA tracked 88 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 18 in 2016–20 vs 70 in 2021–25 (+289% — 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 Starr County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Starr County, Texas are cold wave, wildfire, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Starr County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Starr County has received 23 federal disaster declarations since 1967, including declarations in 2025. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (10 declarations).
Has Starr County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Starr County include Severe Storms And Flooding (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1967.
How does Starr County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Hidalgo County, TX has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Kenedy County, TX has the lowest (Very Low). Starr County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Starr County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Starr 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. Starr County's composite score of 85 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 85% of US counties.