Tarrant County, TX
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Tarrant County has experienced 28 federally declared disasters since 1966, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2021. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Tarrant County's highest-rated hazards are hail, tornado, and heat wave, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 78% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (76th 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. Tarrant County has been designated in 28 declarations since 1966, covering 9 disaster types including hurricane (8), severe storm (5), fire (5).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Harvey |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds And Flooding |
| 2008 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2008 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ike |
| 2008 | Hurricane | Hurricane Gustav |
Showing the 10 most recent of 28 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 Moderate | 91.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 99.1 | 94 | 6 | $3.7M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 88.3 | 3 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | 99.5 | 56 | 29 | — |
| Tornado | Very High | 99.9 | 20 | 0 | $1.4M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 72.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very High | 100 | 465 | 0 | $1.4B |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 82.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very High | 97.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very High | 97.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 98.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 95.2 | 17 | 0 | $2.7M |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 36.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 68 | 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
Tarrant County ranks in the 76th 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 | 76th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 78th | High |
| Household characteristics | 67th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 90th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 50th | 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 | 70th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 71st | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 16.2% | — |
NOAA tracked 650 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 234 in 2016–20 vs 416 in 2021–25 (+78% — 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 Tarrant County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Tarrant County, Texas are hail, tornado, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Tarrant County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Tarrant County has received 28 federal disaster declarations since 1966, including declarations in 2021. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (8 declarations).
Has Tarrant County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Tarrant County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Winter Storm in 2021.
How does Tarrant 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 Wise County, TX has the lowest (Relatively Low). Tarrant County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Tarrant County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Tarrant 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. Tarrant County's composite score of 99 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 99% of US counties.