Bastrop County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Bastrop County, Texas has a moderate overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 81% of US counties. It ranks 48th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $43 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $438 per resident. Since 1991 it has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (15 major disasters). The most recent was in April 2023 (severe winter storm). About 1 in 77 homes here carry federal flood insurance (474 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $9.9 million on 331 claims here, including $3.3 million for floods in 2015.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Bastrop County
- 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.
- Pick a shelter spot: a basement, or an inside room on the lowest floor with no windows.
- Turn on emergency alerts on your phone and keep a weather radio.
- 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 86.2 | $27M | ||
| Tornado | 91.1 | $7M | ||
| Cold wave | 74.9 | $3M | ||
| Heat wave | 83.6 | $2M | ||
| Hail | 85.1 | $1M | ||
| Strong wind | 68.1 | $872K | ||
| Drought | 76.4 | $708K | ||
| Lightning | 70.2 | $481K | ||
| Hurricane | 63.2 | $279K | ||
| Winter weather | 79.8 | $199K | ||
| Wildfire | 71.8 | $189K | ||
| Ice storm | 57.9 | $116K | ||
| Earthquake | 21.0 | $30K | ||
| Landslide | 43.0 | $778 |
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 low in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Bastrop 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 1953
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 385 storm reports in Bastrop County since 1953, with 2 deaths and 111 injuries and about $11.9 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on April 24, 1957.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 24, 1957 | F3 | – | 1 / 0 |
| Apr 7, 1980 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 28, 1953 | F3 | – | 3 / 0 |
| Nov 17, 1971 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 14, 1991 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 17, 1998 | Flash Flood | Countywide | $3M |
| Oct 30, 2015 | Flash Flood | Elysium | $2M |
| May 25, 2015 | Flash Flood | Bastrop | $2M |
| Aug 27, 2017 | Flood | Bastrop | $2M |
| Apr 24, 1957 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Nov 17, 1971 | Tornado | – | $250K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through May 10, 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 1854, 2 hurricanes and 15 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Bastrop County, 5 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1900, with top winds near 95 mph about 65 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 9, 1900 | Unnamed | Category 1, 95 mph | 65 mi |
| Sep 12, 1961 | Carla | Category 1, 90 mph | 62 mi |
| Sep 17, 1875 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 59 mi |
| Aug 14, 1932 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 56 mi |
| Sep 19, 1854 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 62 mi |
| Jul 22, 1909 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 64 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 26, 2017 | Harvey | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 65 mi |
| Jun 17, 2015 | Bill | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 60 mi |
| Sep 6, 1973 | Delia | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 64 mi |
| Jun 24, 1968 | Candy | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 47 mi |
| Sep 12, 1961 | Carla | Category 1, 90 mph | 62 mi |
| Jul 28, 1943 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 63 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 Bastrop 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 Bastrop 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; 39,706 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Travis County | 35 | |
| Williamson County | 23 | |
| Caldwell County | 22 | |
| Fayette County | 22 | |
| Lee County | 20 |
Cities in Bastrop County
Common questions about Bastrop County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Bastrop County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Bastrop County, about $26.7 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $7.4 million.
How many federal disasters has Bastrop County had?
Bastrop County has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1991, including 15 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in April 2023.
Is Bastrop County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Moderate, 48th 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 Bastrop County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 77 homes in Bastrop 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 Bastrop County had?
NOAA records list 35 tornadoes in Bastrop County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on April 24, 1957. The weather service has also logged 146 hail reports and 99 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Bastrop County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 2 hurricanes and 15 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Bastrop County. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1900, with winds near 95 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.