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Burnet County, Texas

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

Relatively Low overall risk
63rd of 254highest risk in Texas
$26Mexpected losses a year
22federal declarations
1 in 20homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Burnet County, Texas has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 77% of US counties. It ranks 63rd of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $26 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $527 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (14 major disasters). The most recent was in July 2025 (severe storms, straight-line winds and flooding). About 1 in 20 homes here carry federal flood insurance (1,202 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $25 million on 626 claims here, including $18 million for floods in 2018.

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.

Top risks in Burnet County

$15.4 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.

Tornado

Moderate
$3.7 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 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.

Cold wave

Moderate
$1.8 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 years.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingModerate82.3
$15M
TornadoModerate84.8
$4M
Cold waveModerate73.6
$2M
Heat waveModerate82.1
$1M
Strong windModerate83.1
$1M
HailModerate87.4
$1M
WildfireLow88.9
$802K
DroughtModerate67.4
$314K
LightningModerate64.8
$287K
Winter weatherModerate82.9
$170K
HurricaneLow60.4
$155K
Ice stormLow32.9
$27K
EarthquakeVery Low15.3
$12K
LandslideVery Low43.0
$575

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 low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Fire6
Flood5
Severe Storm4
Hurricane3
Severe Ice Storm2
Drought1

Most recent

Jul 6, 2025Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 21, 2023Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Feb 19, 2021Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Feb 14, 2021Severe Winter StormEmergency
Feb 25, 2019Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 29, 2018Park Road FireFire management
Jul 1, 2011WildfiresMajor disaster
Mar 14, 2008WildfiresEmergency
Jun 29, 2007Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 11, 2006Extreme Wildfire ThreatMajor disaster
Show all 22
Sep 24, 2005Hurricane RitaMajor disaster
Sep 21, 2005Hurricane RitaEmergency
Sep 2, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jul 4, 2002Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 16, 1999Beaver Creek FireFire management
Sep 1, 1999Extreme Fire HazardsEmergency
Aug 26, 1998Tropical Storm CharleyMajor disaster
Jul 7, 1997Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 10, 1993Extreme Fire HazardEmergency
Dec 26, 1991Severe ThunderstormsMajor disaster
May 19, 1989Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 12, 1973High Winds, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster

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 513 storm reports in Burnet County since 1955, with 8 deaths and 48 injuries and about $203 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on May 13, 1994 near Marble Falls.

34tornadoes
256hail reports, largest 5 inches
119damaging thunderstorm winds
104floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 13, 1994F3Marble Falls1 / 0
May 6, 1969F3–0 / 0
Mar 10, 1973F3–40 / 0
Jun 12, 2014EF2Lake Victor0 / 0
Sep 20, 1967F1–1 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jun 26, 2007Flash FloodMarble Falls$137M
Oct 16, 2018FloodMarble Falls Arpt$30M
Apr 9, 2024HailMarble Falls$10M
Jul 5, 2025Flash FloodBurnet$6M
May 13, 1994TornadoMarble Falls$5M
Jun 11, 2009Thunderstorm WindBurnet Craddock Arpt$5M

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 15, 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 1897, 0 hurricanes and 6 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Burnet County, 3 of them since 1950. The strongest was Tropical Storm Carla (1961), with top winds near 65 mph about 61 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
6tropical storms
1973most recent: Delia

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 12, 1961CarlaTropical storm, 65 mph61 mi
Sep 13, 1897UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph62 mi
Jun 27, 1902UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph62 mi
Jun 24, 1968CandyTropical storm, 45 mph48 mi
Aug 14, 1932UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph58 mi
Sep 6, 1973DeliaTropical storm, 45 mph62 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 6, 1973DeliaTropical storm, 45 mph62 mi
Jun 24, 1968CandyTropical storm, 45 mph48 mi
Sep 12, 1961CarlaTropical storm, 65 mph61 mi
Aug 14, 1932UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph58 mi
Jun 27, 1902UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph62 mi
Sep 13, 1897UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph62 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 Burnet County

Check your address flood zone ›
5%of homes have federal flood insurance (1,202 policies)
53.1%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$24.8 millionpaid on 626 flood claims since 1978
2018costliest year, with $17.7 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 Burnet County

$344,000median home value (Texas $283,800, US $332,700)
1997median year homes were built (Texas 1992, US 1980)
28%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
17.9%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; 25,555 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
Williamson CountyModerate23
Bell CountyModerate20
Lampasas CountyVery Low17
Llano CountyLow15
Blanco CountyVery Low19
San Saba CountyVery Low20

Common questions about Burnet County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Burnet County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Burnet County, about $15.4 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $3.7 million.

How many federal disasters has Burnet County had?

Burnet County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 14 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding in July 2025.

Is Burnet County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 63rd 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 Burnet County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 20 homes in Burnet 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 Burnet County had?

NOAA records list 34 tornadoes in Burnet County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on May 13, 1994 near Marble Falls. The weather service has also logged 256 hail reports and 104 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Burnet County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 6 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Burnet County. The strongest was Tropical Storm Carla (1961), with winds near 65 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.