Taylor County, TX
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Taylor County has experienced 22 federally declared disasters since 1982, most recently Mesquite Heat Fire in 2022. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Taylor County's highest-rated hazards are hail, winter weather, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 60% 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. Taylor County has been designated in 22 declarations since 1982, covering 7 disaster types including fire (7), severe storm (5), hurricane (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Fire | Mesquite Heat Fire |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2009 | Fire | Tuscola Fire |
| 2009 | Fire | Rhodes Ranch Fire |
| 2008 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Erin |
| 2007 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 22 total declarations since 1982.
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 | 89.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 82.8 | 34 | 0 | $394K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 38.5 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 86.8 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 73.9 | 6 | 0 | $10.8M |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 49 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very High | 99.3 | 124 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 65.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 94.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 59.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 56.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 87.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 72.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 20.8 | 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
Taylor 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 | 64th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 73rd | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 77th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 74th | 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 | 83rd | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 84th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 30.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 161 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 62 in 2016–20 vs 99 in 2021–25 (+60% — 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 Taylor County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Taylor County, Texas are hail, winter weather, and wildfire. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Taylor County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Taylor County has received 22 federal disaster declarations since 1982, including declarations in 2022. The most common disaster type on record is fire (7 declarations).
Has Taylor County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Taylor County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Mesquite Heat Fire in 2022.
How does Taylor County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Jones County, TX has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and Fisher County, TX has the lowest (Very Low). Taylor County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Taylor County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Taylor 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. Taylor County's composite score of 84 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 84% of US counties.