Terrell County, TX
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Terrell County has experienced 16 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Flooding in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Terrell County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, landslide, and heat wave, with its top risk rated "Very Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 40% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (9th 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. Terrell County has been designated in 16 declarations since 1965, covering 8 disaster types including fire (4), hurricane (3), flood (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Flood | Flooding |
| 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 |
| 2011 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2008 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2006 | Fire | Extreme Wildfire Threat |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Rita |
Showing the 10 most recent of 16 total declarations since 1965.
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 | Very Low | 46.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 3.7 | 6 | 0 | $1K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 1.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 12.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 4.8 | 4 | 0 | $500K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 10.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 5.2 | 26 | 0 | $1K |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 5.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 3.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 1.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 7.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 12.7 | 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
Terrell County ranks in the 9th 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 | 9th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 8th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 68th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 85th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 0th | 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 | 86th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 86th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 64.3% | — |
NOAA tracked 36 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 15 in 2016–20 vs 21 in 2021–25 (+40% — 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 Terrell County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Terrell County, Texas are wildfire, landslide, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Terrell County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Terrell County has received 16 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is fire (4 declarations).
Has Terrell County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Terrell County include Flooding (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Terrell County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Val Verde County, TX has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Crockett County, TX has the lowest (Very Low). Terrell County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Terrell County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Terrell 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. Terrell County's composite score of 0 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 0% of US counties.