The county with the highest expected yearly tornado losses in the US is Collin County, Texas, just north of Dallas. FEMA’s National Risk Index puts its expected tornado damage at about $420 million a year, followed by Harris County, Texas, and Cook County, Illinois.
That may surprise anyone who pictures tornadoes on open prairie. The reason is simple: tornado losses depend on how often tornadoes strike and on how much there is to hit. Fast-growing suburbs in tornado country have a lot of new homes in the path.
Counties with the highest expected tornado losses
| Rank | County | Expected tornado loss per year | Rating | Tornadoes per year (FEMA estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Collin County, TX | $420 million | Very High | 0.9 |
| 2 | Harris County, TX | $407 million | Very High | 1.6 |
| 3 | Cook County, IL | $345 million | Very High | 1.0 |
| 4 | Denton County, TX | $145 million | Very High | 1.0 |
| 5 | Tarrant County, TX | $144 million | Very High | 0.9 |
| 6 | Bexar County, TX | $124 million | Very High | 0.4 |
| 7 | Dallas County, TX | $115 million | Very High | 0.9 |
| 8 | Oakland County, MI | $102 million | Very High | 0.4 |
| 9 | Travis County, TX | $96 million | Very High | 0.5 |
| 10 | Hennepin County, MN | $83 million | Very High | 0.5 |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025. “Tornadoes per year” is FEMA’s estimated yearly frequency for the county.
Only 37 counties in the country have a Very High tornado rating. Texas has 9 of them, Illinois 4, and Florida and Michigan 3 each.
Why isn’t Oklahoma at the top?
Oklahoma and Kansas see many tornadoes, but most of their counties have fewer people and buildings than the Dallas or Chicago areas. Per home, the danger in central Oklahoma is real and high. In total dollars, big metro counties come out ahead. Each county page on this site shows both the rating and the loss per resident, so you can compare fairly.
When is tornado season?
Tornadoes can happen in any month. In the southern Plains, the peak runs from April to June. Along the Gulf Coast and in the Southeast, there is also a strong season in late fall and winter, and those storms often strike at night, which makes them more dangerous. Tornadoes also form inside landfalling hurricanes.
How to prepare
- Know your safe place. The best spot is a basement or storm shelter. Without one, use an interior room on the lowest floor with no windows, such as a bathroom or closet.
- Get warnings two ways. Turn on emergency alerts on your phone and have a weather radio with battery backup. Sirens are meant for people outdoors and may not wake you.
- Know watch from warning. A tornado watch means conditions are right for tornadoes. A warning means one has been seen or detected on radar. Take shelter right away.
- Mobile homes are not safe in a tornado. Plan ahead where you would go, such as a nearby sturdy building.
- Check your home insurance. Tornado damage is usually covered as wind damage, but check your deductible and whether your coverage would rebuild your home at today’s prices.
Questions people ask
What is Tornado Alley? An informal name for the central US where tornadoes are frequent, roughly from north Texas through Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. A second area across Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee, sometimes called Dixie Alley, has many deadly tornadoes too.
Are tornadoes getting more common? Total counts are hard to compare over time because detection has improved. Research suggests tornado activity has been shifting east, toward the mid-South.
Does a safe room add value to a home? Many buyers in tornado country look for one, and some states and FEMA programs have offered grants for safe rooms in the past. Check with your state emergency office.
This page shares public data and general safety information and is not advice. Follow your local National Weather Service office for warnings.