Aransas County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Aransas County, Texas has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 61% of US counties. It ranks 102nd of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are hurricanes, inland flooding and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $15 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $643 per resident. Since 1967 it has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (18 major disasters). The most recent was in July 2024 (Hurricane Beryl). About 1 in 4 homes here carry federal flood insurance (3,808 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $64 million on 4,128 claims here, including $50 million for floods in 2017.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Aransas County
- Know your evacuation zone and route before June 1.
- Ask about roof age, shutters and the separate wind or hurricane deductible on your home policy.
- 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.
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | 91.2 | $7M | ||
| Inland flooding | 50.8 | $5M | ||
| Cold wave | 70.8 | $2M | ||
| Tornado | 58.6 | $1M | ||
| Coastal flooding | 67.8 | $647K | ||
| Heat wave | 58.8 | $379K | ||
| Strong wind | 17.7 | $106K | ||
| Lightning | 31.4 | $79K | ||
| Wildfire | 61.8 | $66K | ||
| Hail | 20.2 | $49K | ||
| Ice storm | 29.7 | $22K | ||
| Winter weather | 17.1 | $10K | ||
| Earthquake | 8.6 | $6K | ||
| Drought | 16.8 | $1K | ||
| Landslide | 2.0 | $1 |
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 very high and community resilience is very high in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Aransas County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 29
Texas also had 106 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1956
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 154 storm reports in Aransas County since 1956, with 0 deaths and 3 injuries and about $4.5 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on September 20, 1967.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 20, 1967 | F3 | – | 3 / 0 |
| Jun 2, 2010 | EF2 | Rockport | 0 / 0 |
| May 11, 1968 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 13, 1973 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 29, 2018 | EF0 | Holiday Beach | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 5, 2006 | Flash Flood | Rockport | $2M |
| Jul 7, 2021 | Flash Flood | Rockport | $500K |
| Jan 9, 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Rockport | $400K |
| Sep 20, 1967 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Jun 2, 2010 | Tornado | Rockport | $250K |
| May 10, 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Holiday Beach | $250K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 21, 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.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
Hurricane risk by county ›Since 1851, 20 hurricanes and 14 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Aransas County, 17 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1886, with top winds near 150 mph about 60 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 20, 1886 | Unnamed | Category 4, 150 mph | 60 mi |
| Sep 11, 1961 | Carla | Category 4, 145 mph | 64 mi |
| Aug 3, 1970 | Celia | Category 4, 140 mph | 24 mi |
| Aug 25, 2017 | Harvey | Category 4, 130 mph | 25 mi |
| Aug 26, 1945 | Unnamed | Category 3, 115 mph | 64 mi |
| Aug 30, 1942 | Unnamed | Category 3, 115 mph | 55 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 8, 2024 | Beryl | Category 1, 85 mph | 65 mi |
| Sep 13, 2021 | Nicholas | Category 1, 75 mph | 48 mi |
| Sep 21, 2020 | Beta | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 42 mi |
| Aug 25, 2017 | Harvey | Category 4, 130 mph | 25 mi |
| Jun 16, 2015 | Bill | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 60 mi |
| Aug 16, 2007 | Erin | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 56 mi |
Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center best-track records (HURDAT2), 1851 to 2025 for the Atlantic and 1949 to 2025 for the eastern Pacific. A storm counts if its track passed within 65 miles of the county's center while it was a tropical storm or hurricane. Strength is the storm's top sustained wind at that point, not the wind measured in the county. Older storms over the open sea were sometimes missed.
Flood insurance in Aransas County
Check your address flood zone ›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 Aransas County
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; 15,999 housing units.
Compare in Texas
All 254 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Harris County | Inland flooding | |
| Dallas County | Inland flooding | |
| Tarrant County | Inland flooding | |
| Bexar County | Inland flooding | |
| Travis County | Inland flooding | |
| Collin County | Tornado | |
| Denton County | Tornado | |
| Hidalgo County | Hurricane |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Nueces County | 31 | |
| San Patricio County | 32 | |
| Calhoun County | 26 | |
| Refugio County | 26 |
Cities in Aransas County
Common questions about Aransas County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Aransas County?
Hurricane has the highest expected yearly losses in Aransas County, about $6.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $4.7 million.
How many federal disasters has Aransas County had?
Aransas County has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1967, including 18 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Beryl in July 2024.
Is Aransas County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 102nd highest of 254 in Texas. 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 Aransas County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 4 homes in Aransas 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 Aransas County had?
NOAA records list 15 tornadoes in Aransas County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on September 20, 1967. The weather service has also logged 21 hail reports and 67 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Aransas County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 20 hurricanes and 14 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Aransas County, including 8 major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1886, with winds near 150 mph.
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.