Childress County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Childress County, Texas has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 80% of US counties. It ranks 195th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are drought, strong wind and hail. FEMA estimates about $6.4 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $990 per resident. Since 1996 it has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (6 major disasters). The most recent was in February 2021 (severe winter storms). Only 1 home here carries federal flood insurance.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Childress County
- Check local water restrictions.
- Choose drought-tolerant plants.
- Secure outdoor furniture and trash bins before storms.
- Have trees near the house checked.
- Ask about the roof age and any impact-rated shingles.
- Check your home policy for a separate wind and hail deductible.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | 95.2 | $2M | ||
| Strong wind | 89.7 | $2M | ||
| Hail | 74.5 | $608K | ||
| Inland flooding | 3.9 | $537K | ||
| Tornado | 30.9 | $475K | ||
| Cold wave | 21.9 | $229K | ||
| Wildfire | 64.7 | $104K | ||
| Ice storm | 54.5 | $92K | ||
| Heat wave | 22.7 | $69K | ||
| Winter weather | 49.3 | $55K | ||
| Earthquake | 22.7 | $31K | ||
| Lightning | 10.1 | $30K | ||
| Hurricane | 18.5 | $5K | ||
| Landslide | 23.8 | $149 |
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 Childress County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 12
Texas also had 106 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1951
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 449 storm reports in Childress County since 1951, with 0 deaths and 11 injuries and about $39.4 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on May 9, 2006 near Childress.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 9, 2006 | F2 | Childress | 1 / 0 |
| Jun 6, 1951 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 25, 1987 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 3, 1995 | F1 | Childress | 1 / 0 |
| Apr 15, 2003 | F1 | Kirkland | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 15, 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Childress | $17M |
| May 9, 2006 | Tornado | Childress | $6M |
| May 22, 1996 | Hail | Childress | $3M |
| Jun 15, 2008 | Hail | Childress | $3M |
| Jul 29, 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Childress Arpt | $2M |
| Jun 30, 2017 | Hail | Childress | $2M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 31, 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 Childress 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 Childress 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; 2,772 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Hardeman County | 14 | |
| Hall County | 16 | |
| Collingsworth County | 12 | |
| Harmon County, OK | 18 | |
| Cottle County | 17 |
Common questions about Childress County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Childress County?
Drought has the highest expected yearly losses in Childress County, about $2.3 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Strong wind is second at $1.8 million.
How many federal disasters has Childress County had?
Childress County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1996, including 6 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storms in February 2021.
Is Childress County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 195th 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 Childress County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.
How many tornadoes has Childress County had?
NOAA records list 26 tornadoes in Childress County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on May 9, 2006 near Childress. The weather service has also logged 216 hail reports and 11 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.