Val Verde County, TX
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Val Verde County has experienced 16 federally declared disasters since 1993, most recently Flooding in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Val Verde County's highest-rated hazards are inland flooding, wildfire, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 31% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (94th 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. Val Verde County has been designated in 16 declarations since 1993, covering 7 disaster types including fire (4), hurricane (4), severe ice storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2011 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2010 | Hurricane | Hurricane Alex |
| 2008 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2006 | Fire | Extreme Wildfire Threat |
Showing the 10 most recent of 16 total declarations since 1993.
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 | 85 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 87.3 | 16 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 22.2 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 69.4 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 41.1 | 4 | 0 | $50K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 57.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 81.8 | 75 | 0 | $10.0M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 18.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 83.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 9.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 40.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 70.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 63 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 53.8 | 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
Val Verde County ranks in the 94th 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 | 94th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 84th | High |
| Household characteristics | 93rd | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 99th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 89th | High |
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 | 93rd | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 92nd | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 37.2% | — |
NOAA tracked 93 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 55 in 2016–20 vs 38 in 2021–25 (-31% — frequency decreasing).
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 Val Verde County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Val Verde County, Texas are inland flooding, wildfire, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Val Verde County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Val Verde County has received 16 federal disaster declarations since 1993, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is fire (4 declarations).
Has Val Verde County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Val Verde County include Flooding (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1993.
How does Val Verde County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Sutton County, TX has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and Terrell County, TX has the lowest (Very Low). Val Verde County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Val Verde County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Val Verde 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. Val Verde County's composite score of 76 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 76% of US counties.