Wilson County, TX
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Wilson County has experienced 18 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.
Wilson County's highest-rated hazards are hail, drought, and inland flooding, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 43 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (30th 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. Wilson County has been designated in 18 declarations since 1993, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (4), severe storm (3), flood (3).
| 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 |
| 2016 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds And Flooding |
| 2010 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Alex |
| 2008 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2006 | Fire | Extreme Wildfire Threat |
Showing the 10 most recent of 18 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 | 71.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 84.4 | 7 | 0 | $1.0M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 15.3 | 7 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 73.9 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 78 | 2 | 0 | $50K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 63.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 88.3 | 30 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 48.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 54.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 32.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 43 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 66.6 | 1 | 0 | $100K |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 87.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 12.8 | 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
Wilson County ranks in the 30th percentile (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 | 30th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 24th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 24th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 83rd | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 34th | 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 | 67th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 67th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 88.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 43 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 23 in 2016–20 vs 20 in 2021–25 (-13% — 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 Wilson County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Wilson County, Texas are hail, drought, and inland flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Wilson County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Wilson County has received 18 federal disaster declarations since 1993, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (4 declarations).
Has Wilson County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Wilson County include Flooding (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1993.
How does Wilson County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Bexar County, TX has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Karnes County, TX has the lowest (Relatively Low). Wilson County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Wilson County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Wilson 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. Wilson County's composite score of 76 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 76% of US counties.