Van Zandt County, TX
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Van Zandt County has experienced 20 federally declared disasters since 1989, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Van Zandt County's highest-rated hazards are strong wind, hail, and heat wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 48% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Van Zandt County has been designated in 20 declarations since 1989, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (6), hurricane (4), fire (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 2016 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2016 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds And Flooding |
| 2008 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2008 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ike |
Showing the 10 most recent of 20 total declarations since 1989.
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 | 69.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 53.6 | 12 | 0 | $1.3M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 44.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 80 | 46 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 77.8 | 16 | 4 | $2.8M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 62.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 81.3 | 32 | 0 | $159K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 85.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 53.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 76.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 77 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 71.2 | 1 | 0 | $100K |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 77.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 28.9 | 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
Van Zandt County ranks in the 57th percentile (Moderate) 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 | 57th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 65th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 76th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 49th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 27th | 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 | 68th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 66th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 81.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 104 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 42 in 2016–20 vs 62 in 2021–25 (+48% — 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 Van Zandt County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Van Zandt County, Texas are strong wind, hail, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Van Zandt County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Van Zandt County has received 20 federal disaster declarations since 1989, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (6 declarations).
Has Van Zandt County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Van Zandt County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1989.
How does Van Zandt County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Henderson County, TX has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Rains County, TX has the lowest (Very Low). Van Zandt County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Van Zandt County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Van Zandt 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. Van Zandt County's composite score of 59 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 59% of US counties.