Cochran County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
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
- Check local water restrictions.
- Choose drought-tolerant plants.
- Ask about the roof age and any impact-rated shingles.
- Check your home policy for a separate wind and hail deductible.
- 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.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | 94.8 | $2M | ||
| Hail | 89.5 | $1M | ||
| Inland flooding | 1.8 | $256K | ||
| Tornado | 21.7 | $198K | ||
| Strong wind | 26.8 | $185K | ||
| Cold wave | 20.9 | $174K | ||
| Wildfire | 68.3 | $112K | ||
| Winter weather | 29.1 | $21K | ||
| Heat wave | 9.2 | $11K | ||
| Lightning | 3.8 | $9K | ||
| Earthquake | 10.3 | $7K | ||
| Hurricane | 19.8 | $4K | ||
| Ice storm | 9.4 | $3K | ||
| Landslide | 0.1 | $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
Most recent
Show all 14
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.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 17, 1970 | F4 | – | 20 / 0 |
| Mar 23, 2007 | EF2 | Morton | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 9, 1965 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 23, 2022 | EF2 | Morton | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 5, 2025 | EF2 | Morton | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 17, 1970 | Tornado | – | $25M |
| Jul 21, 2009 | Hail | Morton | $3M |
| Jul 17, 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Morton | $3M |
| Jul 17, 2009 | Hail | Morton | $1M |
| Jul 9, 2015 | Flood | Bledsoe | $600K |
| Jun 18, 2014 | Hail | Lehman | $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 ›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
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 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Lea County, NM | 5 | |
| Hockley County | 14 | |
| Roosevelt County, NM | 5 | |
| Lamb County | 14 | |
| Terry County | 13 | |
| Yoakum County | 10 | |
| Bailey County | 14 |
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.