Home › Texas › Cochran County

Cochran County, Texas

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

Very Low overall risk
207th of 254highest risk in Texas
$4Mexpected losses a year
14federal declarations
1 in 1000homes with flood insurance
Photo: Aleatoric Consonance, CC BY 2.0

Cochran County, Texas has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 87% of US counties. It ranks 207th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are drought, hail and inland flooding. FEMA estimates about $4.0 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $1,566 per resident. Since 1970 it has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (9 major disasters). The most recent was in May 2024 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). 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 Cochran County

$1.8 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 96 times a year.
  • Check local water restrictions.
  • Choose drought-tolerant plants.

Hail

Moderate
$1.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 4 times a year.
  • Ask about the roof age and any impact-rated shingles.
  • Check your home policy for a separate wind and hail deductible.
$255,721 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 4 years.
  • 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
DroughtHigh94.8
$2M
HailModerate89.5
$1M
Inland floodingVery Low1.8
$256K
TornadoVery Low21.7
$198K
Strong windLow26.8
$185K
Cold waveVery Low20.9
$174K
WildfireLow68.3
$112K
Winter weatherLow29.1
$21K
Heat waveVery Low9.2
$11K
LightningVery Low3.8
$9K
EarthquakeVery Low10.3
$7K
HurricaneVery Low19.8
$4K
Ice stormVery Low9.4
$3K
LandslideVery Low0.1
$0

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 high and community resilience is very low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Fire4
Severe Storm3
Hurricane3
Severe Ice Storm2
Tornado1
Flood1

Most recent

May 17, 2024Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 19, 2021Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Feb 14, 2021Severe Winter StormEmergency
Feb 9, 2016Severe Winter 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
Sep 21, 2005Hurricane RitaEmergency
Sep 2, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Show all 14
Sep 1, 1999Extreme Fire HazardsEmergency
Aug 26, 1998Tropical Storm CharleyMajor disaster
Sep 9, 1992Excessive Rain & HailMajor disaster
May 13, 1970Tornadoes, Windstorms & FloodingMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1956

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 272 storm reports in Cochran County since 1956, with 3 deaths and 20 injuries and about $37.5 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on April 17, 1970.

38tornadoes
133hail reports, largest 3.25 inches
87damaging thunderstorm winds
12floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 17, 1970F4–20 / 0
Mar 23, 2007EF2Morton0 / 0
Jun 9, 1965F2–0 / 0
May 23, 2022EF2Morton0 / 0
Jun 5, 2025EF2Morton0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 17, 1970Tornado–$25M
Jul 21, 2009HailMorton$3M
Jul 17, 2009Thunderstorm WindMorton$3M
Jul 17, 2009HailMorton$1M
Jul 9, 2015FloodBledsoe$600K
Jun 18, 2014HailLehman$302K

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 Cochran County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.1%of homes have federal flood insurance (1 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$0paid on 0 flood claims since 1978
n/acostliest year

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 Cochran County

$53,200median home value (Texas $283,800, US $332,700)
1971median year homes were built (Texas 1992, US 1980)
69%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
11.1%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; 1,268 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
Lea County, NMModerate5
Hockley CountyLow14
Roosevelt County, NMModerate5
Lamb CountyLow14
Terry CountyLow13
Yoakum CountyLow10
Bailey CountyVery Low14

Common questions about Cochran County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Cochran County?

Drought has the highest expected yearly losses in Cochran County, about $1.8 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hail is second at $1.2 million.

How many federal disasters has Cochran County had?

Cochran County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1970, including 9 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in May 2024.

Is Cochran County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 207th 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 Cochran County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Cochran 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 Cochran County had?

NOAA records list 38 tornadoes in Cochran County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on April 17, 1970. The weather service has also logged 133 hail reports and 12 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.