Freestone County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Freestone County, Texas has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 56% of US counties. It ranks 121st of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are cold waves, inland flooding and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $13 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $689 per resident. Since 1965 it has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (11 major disasters). The most recent was in July 2024 (Hurricane Beryl). Only 28 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $587,000 on 17 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Freestone County
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
- 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.
- 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.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cold wave | 90.1 | $5M | ||
| Inland flooding | 47.0 | $4M | ||
| Tornado | 73.1 | $2M | ||
| Hurricane | 71.5 | $485K | ||
| Drought | 69.5 | $356K | ||
| Heat wave | 51.7 | $286K | ||
| Strong wind | 38.3 | $277K | ||
| Lightning | 60.7 | $240K | ||
| Ice storm | 69.3 | $149K | ||
| Wildfire | 70.1 | $123K | ||
| Hail | 36.3 | $109K | ||
| Earthquake | 29.8 | $52K | ||
| Winter weather | 36.9 | $28K | ||
| Landslide | 28.5 | $193 |
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 Freestone County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 17
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 240 storm reports in Freestone County since 1955, with 1 death and 3 injuries and about $3.2 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on April 24, 1957.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 24, 1957 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 24, 1957 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 24, 2024 | EF0 | Freestone | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 28, 2024 | EF0 | Dew | 0 / 0 |
| May 25, 2015 | EF0 | Kirvin | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 28, 2009 | Flash Flood | Wortham | $2M |
| Jun 21, 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Fairfield | $500K |
| Oct 24, 2015 | Flash Flood | Donie | $250K |
| Oct 30, 2013 | Flash Flood | Donie | $100K |
| Apr 9, 2024 | Flash Flood | Stewards Mill | $100K |
| Apr 25, 2011 | Hail | Fairfield | $80K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 20, 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 1871, 0 hurricanes and 14 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Freestone County, 4 of them since 1950. The strongest was Tropical Storm Ike (2008), with top winds near 70 mph about 61 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 13, 2008 | Ike | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 61 mi |
| Sep 9, 1900 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 62 mi |
| Jul 8, 2024 | Beryl | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 59 mi |
| Jun 23, 1921 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 55 mi |
| Aug 18, 1915 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 65 mi |
| Jun 4, 1871 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 60 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 8, 2024 | Beryl | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 59 mi |
| Sep 13, 2008 | Ike | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 61 mi |
| Aug 1, 1989 | Chantal | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 62 mi |
| Aug 18, 1983 | Alicia | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 60 mi |
| Aug 28, 1945 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 64 mi |
| Jul 29, 1943 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 65 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 Freestone 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 Freestone 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; 9,123 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Henderson County | 22 | |
| Anderson County | 28 | |
| Navarro County | 24 | |
| Limestone County | 18 | |
| Leon County | 27 |
Common questions about Freestone County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Freestone County?
Cold wave has the highest expected yearly losses in Freestone County, about $5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $4.3 million.
How many federal disasters has Freestone County had?
Freestone County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1965, including 11 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Beryl in July 2024.
Is Freestone County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 121st 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 Freestone County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 250 homes in Freestone 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 Freestone County had?
NOAA records list 15 tornadoes in Freestone County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on April 24, 1957. The weather service has also logged 95 hail reports and 55 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Freestone County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 14 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Freestone County. The strongest was Tropical Storm Ike (2008), with winds near 70 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.