Home › Colorado › Pueblo County

Pueblo County, Colorado

Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.

Relatively Moderate overall risk
10th of 64highest risk in Colorado
$48Mexpected losses a year
18federal declarations
1 in 500homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Pueblo County, Colorado has a moderate overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 82% of US counties. It ranks 10th of 64 counties in Colorado. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and hail. FEMA estimates about $48 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $288 per resident. Since 1965 it has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (7 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2026 (wildfires, flooding and mudslides). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (106 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $332,000 on 100 claims here.

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.

Top risks in Pueblo County

$20.7 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 3 times a year.
  • Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
  • Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.
$8.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.

Hail

High
$6.7 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 4 times a year.
  • Ask about the roof age and any impact-rated shingles.
  • Check your home policy for a separate wind and hail deductible.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingModerate81.1
$21M
Cold waveHigh91.6
$8M
HailHigh98.2
$7M
LightningVery High99.0
$4M
TornadoModerate72.2
$3M
WildfireModerate92.7
$2M
Winter weatherVery High98.6
$2M
Strong windModerate66.0
$858K
EarthquakeLow66.5
$657K
Heat waveLow56.0
$488K
DroughtLow58.8
$261K
Ice stormLow32.4
$37K
LandslideVery Low48.6
$1K
AvalancheVery Low10.4
$9
Volcanic activityVery Low17.6
$0

Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is relatively moderate and community resilience is relatively high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Pueblo County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Fire7
Flood4
Snowstorm3
Tornado1
Drought1
Severe Storm1

Most recent

Sep 1, 2026Wildfires, Flooding, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Jun 29, 2026Aspen Acres FireFire management
Oct 17, 2016Junkins FireFire management
Oct 4, 2016Beulah Hill FireFire management
Jul 16, 2015Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Sep 12, 2013Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesEmergency
Oct 23, 2012Wetmore FireFire management
Jan 7, 2007SnowEmergency
Jan 7, 2007SnowEmergency
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Show all 18
Jul 10, 2005Mason FireFire management
Apr 9, 2003SnowEmergency
Jun 19, 2002WildfiresMajor disaster
May 17, 1999Co-Flooding 4/30/99Major disaster
Jan 29, 1977DroughtEmergency
Aug 2, 1976Severe Storms & Flash FloodingMajor disaster
May 23, 1973Heavy Rains, Snowmelt and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 19, 1965Tornadoes, Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster

Colorado also had 15 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1955

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 952 storm reports in Pueblo County since 1955, with 1 death and 34 injuries and about $222 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on August 21, 1984.

20tornadoes
549hail reports, largest 3 inches
173damaging thunderstorm winds
119floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Aug 21, 1984F2–0 / 0
Jul 9, 2006F1Pueblo West0 / 0
Aug 6, 1981F1–0 / 0
Sep 13, 1982F1–0 / 0
Aug 15, 1974F1–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jul 29, 2009HailCedarwood$110M
Aug 4, 1993HailPueblo$50M
Aug 11, 1997FloodPueblo$25M
Jul 20, 2000HailPueblo Muni Arpt$20M
Jun 20, 2003HailPueblo$4M
May 20, 2001Thunderstorm WindPueblo West$3M

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 29, 2026. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.

Flood insurance in Pueblo County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (106 policies)
12%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$332,050paid on 100 flood claims since 1978
1998costliest year, with $61,800 paid

National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.

Homes in Pueblo County

$291,300median home value (Colorado $539,400, US $332,700)
1974median year homes were built (Colorado 1988, US 1980)
59%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
4.8%of homes are mobile homes, which are the least safe in tornadoes and high winds

Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 73,646 housing units.

Compare in Colorado

All 64 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
El Paso CountyModerateInland flooding
Denver CountyHighInland flooding
Arapahoe CountyModerateHail
Jefferson CountyHighInland flooding
Adams CountyModerateHail
Larimer CountyModerateInland flooding
Douglas CountyModerateInland flooding
Boulder CountyModerateInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
El Paso CountyModerate18
Fremont CountyLow13
Otero CountyLow7
Las Animas CountyVery Low11
Huerfano CountyVery Low8
Crowley CountyVery Low10
Lincoln CountyVery Low8
Custer CountyVery Low12

Cities in Pueblo County

Common questions about Pueblo County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Pueblo County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Pueblo County, about $20.7 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $8.1 million.

How many federal disasters has Pueblo County had?

Pueblo County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1965, including 7 major disasters. The most recent was Wildfires, Flooding, and Mudslides in September 2026.

Is Pueblo County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Moderate, 10th highest of 64 in Colorado. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.

Do I need flood insurance in Pueblo County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 500 homes in Pueblo County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.

How many tornadoes has Pueblo County had?

NOAA records list 20 tornadoes in Pueblo County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on August 21, 1984. The weather service has also logged 549 hail reports and 119 floods here.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.