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Blanco County, Texas

Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.

Very Low overall risk
164th of 254highest risk in Texas
$10Mexpected losses a year
19federal declarations
1 in 71homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Blanco County, Texas has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 67% of US counties. It ranks 164th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, drought and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $10 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $893 per resident. Since 1989 it has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (12 major disasters). The most recent was in July 2026 (flooding). About 1 in 71 homes here carry federal flood insurance (84 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $2.5 million on 43 claims here, including $2.4 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 Blanco County

$6.6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 2 times a year.
  • 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.

Drought

Moderate
$1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 118 times a year.
  • Check local water restrictions.
  • Choose drought-tolerant plants.
$892,008 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 years.
  • 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow51.4
$7M
DroughtModerate82.6
$1M
TornadoLow42.0
$892K
HailLow64.2
$418K
Cold waveLow25.9
$328K
WildfireLow74.8
$247K
Strong windLow22.6
$200K
LightningLow35.9
$131K
Heat waveVery Low30.2
$131K
HurricaneVery Low52.3
$85K
Winter weatherLow39.2
$42K
Ice stormVery Low13.2
$7K
EarthquakeVery Low1.8
$2K
LandslideVery Low23.7
$161

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 moderate in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Blanco County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Flood5
Fire4
Severe Storm3
Hurricane3
Severe Ice Storm2
Drought1

Most recent

Jul 18, 2026FloodingEmergency
May 17, 2024Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 21, 2023Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Feb 19, 2021Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Feb 14, 2021Severe Winter StormEmergency
May 29, 2015Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 1, 2011WildfiresMajor disaster
Mar 14, 2008WildfiresEmergency
Jan 11, 2006Extreme Wildfire ThreatMajor disaster
Sep 24, 2005Hurricane RitaMajor disaster
Show all 19
Sep 21, 2005Hurricane RitaEmergency
Sep 2, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jul 4, 2002Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 1, 1999Extreme Fire HazardsEmergency
Oct 21, 1998Tx-Flooding 10/18/98Major disaster
Aug 26, 1998Tropical Storm CharleyMajor disaster
Jul 7, 1997Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 10, 1993Extreme Fire HazardEmergency
May 19, 1989Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster

Texas also had 106 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1958

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 257 storm reports in Blanco County since 1958, with 5 deaths and 14 injuries and about $58.8 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on May 6, 1969.

19tornadoes
125hail reports, largest 6.12 inches
31damaging thunderstorm winds
82floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 6, 1969F3–2 / 0
May 6, 1969F3–0 / 0
Aug 10, 1980F2–0 / 0
Apr 12, 2020EF1Round Mtn2 / 0
May 23, 1976F1–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Aug 10, 1980Tornado–$25M
May 23, 2015Flash FloodBlanco$20M
May 9, 2024HailJohnson City$10M
Jun 22, 1997Flash FloodCountywide$1M
Apr 12, 2020TornadoRound Mtn$1M
May 23, 1976Tornado–$250K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 16, 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 1886, 2 hurricanes and 6 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Blanco County, 4 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1886, with top winds near 90 mph about 65 miles away.

2hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
6tropical storms
2010most recent: Hermine

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 20, 1886UnnamedCategory 1, 90 mph65 mi
Aug 30, 1942UnnamedCategory 1, 75 mph61 mi
Sep 12, 1961CarlaTropical storm, 70 mph62 mi
Jun 29, 1929UnnamedTropical storm, 65 mph63 mi
Jun 24, 1968CandyTropical storm, 50 mph64 mi
Sep 7, 2010HermineTropical storm, 45 mph61 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 7, 2010HermineTropical storm, 45 mph61 mi
Sep 6, 1973DeliaTropical storm, 45 mph54 mi
Jun 24, 1968CandyTropical storm, 50 mph64 mi
Sep 12, 1961CarlaTropical storm, 70 mph62 mi
Aug 30, 1942UnnamedCategory 1, 75 mph61 mi
Jun 29, 1929UnnamedTropical storm, 65 mph63 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 Blanco County

Check your address flood zone ›
1.4%of homes have federal flood insurance (84 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$2.5 millionpaid on 43 flood claims since 1978
2015costliest year, with $2.4 million paid

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 Blanco County

$483,500median home value (Texas $283,800, US $332,700)
1998median year homes were built (Texas 1992, US 1980)
26%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
9.6%of homes are mobile homes, which are the least safe in tornadoes and high winds

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; 6,129 housing units.

Compare in Texas

All 254 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Harris CountyVery HighInland flooding
Dallas CountyVery HighInland flooding
Tarrant CountyHighInland flooding
Bexar CountyHighInland flooding
Travis CountyHighInland flooding
Collin CountyHighTornado
Denton CountyHighTornado
Hidalgo CountyHighHurricane

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Travis CountyHigh35
Hays CountyModerate25
Comal CountyModerate26
Burnet CountyLow22
Kendall CountyLow22
Gillespie CountyLow18
Llano CountyLow15

Common questions about Blanco County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Blanco County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Blanco County, about $6.6 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Drought is second at $1 million.

How many federal disasters has Blanco County had?

Blanco County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1989, including 12 major disasters. The most recent was Flooding in July 2026.

Is Blanco County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 164th 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 Blanco County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 71 homes in Blanco 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 Blanco County had?

NOAA records list 19 tornadoes in Blanco County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on May 6, 1969. The weather service has also logged 125 hail reports and 82 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Blanco County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 2 hurricanes and 6 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Blanco County. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1886, with winds near 90 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.