Baylor County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Baylor County, Texas has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 82% of US counties. It ranks 199th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are drought, inland flooding and strong wind. FEMA estimates about $4.2 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $1,219 per resident. Since 1979 it has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (11 major disasters). The most recent was in May 2024 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). Only 8 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 Baylor County
- Check local water restrictions.
- Choose drought-tolerant plants.
- 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.
- Secure outdoor furniture and trash bins before storms.
- Have trees near the house checked.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | 94.4 | $2M | ||
| Inland flooding | 15.6 | $1M | ||
| Strong wind | 62.1 | $492K | ||
| Tornado | 33.8 | $407K | ||
| Hail | 62.7 | $266K | ||
| Cold wave | 16.9 | $112K | ||
| Heat wave | 32.7 | $99K | ||
| Wildfire | 64.5 | $74K | ||
| Earthquake | 20.2 | $18K | ||
| Ice storm | 28.3 | $18K | ||
| Hurricane | 31.4 | $10K | ||
| Winter weather | 11.8 | $6K | ||
| Lightning | 1.6 | $3K | ||
| Landslide | 42.1 | $487 |
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 relatively moderate in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Baylor County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 17
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 368 storm reports in Baylor County since 1955, with 0 deaths and 2 injuries and about $4.2 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on April 2, 1980.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2, 1980 | F4 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 29, 2025 | EF3 | Seymour Muni Arpt | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 29, 2025 | EF2 | Red Springs | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 12, 1957 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 6, 1971 | F2 | – | 1 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 13, 2007 | Hail | Seymour | $3M |
| Apr 29, 2025 | Tornado | Seymour Muni Arpt | $400K |
| Mar 4, 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Seymour | $200K |
| Apr 29, 2025 | Tornado | Red Springs | $200K |
| Apr 27, 2024 | Tornado | Red Springs | $100K |
| Oct 12, 1993 | Hail | Seymour | $50K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 19, 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 Baylor 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 Baylor 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; 2,190 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Wichita County | 22 | |
| Young County | 19 | |
| Wilbarger County | 15 | |
| Archer County | 19 | |
| Haskell County | 15 | |
| Knox County | 15 | |
| Throckmorton County | 18 | |
| Foard County | 15 |
Common questions about Baylor County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Baylor County?
Drought has the highest expected yearly losses in Baylor County, about $1.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $1.2 million.
How many federal disasters has Baylor County had?
Baylor County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1979, including 11 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in May 2024.
Is Baylor County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 199th 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 Baylor County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 250 homes in Baylor 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 Baylor County had?
NOAA records list 29 tornadoes in Baylor County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on April 2, 1980. The weather service has also logged 209 hail reports and 17 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.