Bailey County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Bailey County, Texas has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 58% of US counties. It ranks 143rd of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are drought, hail and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $7.8 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $1,127 per resident. Since 1992 it has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (9 major disasters). The most recent was in May 2024 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). Only 12 homes here carry federal flood insurance.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Bailey County
- Check local water restrictions.
- Choose drought-tolerant plants.
- Ask about the roof age and any impact-rated shingles.
- Check your home policy for a separate wind and hail deductible.
- 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | 96.7 | $2M | ||
| Hail | 94.9 | $2M | ||
| Cold wave | 64.9 | $996K | ||
| Inland flooding | 13.6 | $973K | ||
| Wildfire | 88.9 | $673K | ||
| Strong wind | 71.1 | $585K | ||
| Tornado | 42.4 | $553K | ||
| Heat wave | 33.0 | $93K | ||
| Winter weather | 66.5 | $67K | ||
| Lightning | 17.7 | $35K | ||
| Earthquake | 24.4 | $25K | ||
| Hurricane | 38.3 | $16K | ||
| Ice storm | 18.7 | $8K | ||
| Landslide | 1.5 | $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 low in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Bailey County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 14
Texas also had 106 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1955
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 347 storm reports in Bailey County since 1955, with 0 deaths and 1 injury and about $16.9 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on May 10, 1991.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 10, 1991 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 21, 1963 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 3, 1989 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 18, 1971 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 27, 1992 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 17, 2017 | Hail | Enochs | $1M |
| Sep 7, 2003 | Hail | Needmore | $1M |
| Jun 9, 2002 | Hail | Bula | $1M |
| Jun 3, 2003 | Hail | Enochs | $1M |
| Jul 17, 2009 | Hail | Enochs | $1M |
| Jul 17, 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Needmore | $1M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 24, 2025. 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 Bailey 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 Bailey 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; 2,740 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Curry County, NM | 4 | |
| Hockley County | 14 | |
| Roosevelt County, NM | 5 | |
| Lamb County | 14 | |
| Parmer County | 13 | |
| Cochran County | 14 |
Common questions about Bailey County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Bailey County?
Drought has the highest expected yearly losses in Bailey County, about $2.1 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hail is second at $1.7 million.
How many federal disasters has Bailey County had?
Bailey County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1992, including 9 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in May 2024.
Is Bailey County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 143rd 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 Bailey County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 200 homes in Bailey 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 Bailey County had?
NOAA records list 57 tornadoes in Bailey County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on May 10, 1991. The weather service has also logged 187 hail reports and 26 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.