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Gregg County, Texas

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

Relatively Moderate overall risk
27th of 254highest risk in Texas
$55Mexpected losses a year
20federal declarations
1 in 167homes with flood insurance
Photo: aidankinser, public domain

Gregg County, Texas has a moderate overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 87% of US counties. It ranks 27th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are tornadoes, inland flooding and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $55 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $440 per resident. Since 1966 it has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (13 major disasters). The most recent was in July 2024 (Hurricane Beryl). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (258 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $4.0 million on 239 claims here, including $2.0 million for floods in 2016.

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

Top risks in Gregg County

$19.9 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 4 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.
$14.5 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.

Cold wave

Moderate
$5 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
TornadoHigh97.9
$20M
Inland floodingModerate76.8
$15M
Cold waveModerate87.9
$5M
Heat waveModerate93.9
$4M
Strong windHigh96.9
$3M
Ice stormVery High98.9
$3M
HailHigh95.2
$3M
LightningModerate80.7
$625K
HurricaneLow72.0
$602K
EarthquakeLow61.8
$426K
DroughtModerate66.0
$346K
Winter weatherModerate83.9
$217K
WildfireVery Low62.9
$87K
LandslideVery Low36.9
$440

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 relatively low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Hurricane7
Fire4
Flood3
Severe Ice Storm3
Severe Storm2
Tornado1

Most recent

Jul 9, 2024Hurricane BerylMajor disaster
Feb 19, 2021Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Feb 14, 2021Severe Winter StormEmergency
Aug 24, 2020Tropical Storms Marco and LauraEmergency
Mar 19, 2016Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 9, 2011WildfiresMajor disaster
Sep 13, 2008Hurricane IkeMajor disaster
Sep 10, 2008Hurricane IkeEmergency
Jan 11, 2006Extreme Wildfire ThreatMajor disaster
Sep 24, 2005Hurricane RitaMajor disaster
Show all 20
Sep 21, 2005Hurricane RitaEmergency
Sep 2, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jan 8, 2001Severe Winter Ice StormMajor disaster
Sep 1, 1999Extreme Fire HazardsEmergency
May 6, 1999Tx, Tornado 5/4/99Major disaster
Aug 26, 1998Tropical Storm CharleyMajor disaster
Feb 23, 1996Extreme Fire HazardEmergency
May 19, 1989Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 23, 1989Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
May 12, 1966Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1954

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 636 storm reports in Gregg County since 1954, with 3 deaths and 9 injuries and about $43.1 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on April 1, 1979.

38tornadoes
218hail reports, largest 4.5 inches
264damaging thunderstorm winds
101floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 1, 1979F3–0 / 0
Apr 1, 1988F3–0 / 0
May 3, 1958F3–0 / 0
Apr 26, 1957F3–0 / 0
Apr 26, 1957F3–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
May 4, 1999TornadoKilgore$19M
May 4, 1999TornadoKilgore$6M
Mar 18, 2008TornadoKilgore East$3M
Apr 1, 1979Tornado–$3M
Apr 1, 1988Tornado–$3M
Mar 30, 2008Flash FloodSwamp City$2M

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Apr 29, 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 10 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Gregg County, 2 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1879, with top winds near 60 mph about 63 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
10tropical storms
2008most recent: Ike

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 23, 1879UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph63 mi
Jul 6, 1891UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph61 mi
Sep 13, 2008IkeTropical storm, 60 mph61 mi
Aug 7, 1918UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph53 mi
Sep 24, 2005RitaTropical storm, 50 mph65 mi
Sep 24, 1941UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph47 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 13, 2008IkeTropical storm, 60 mph61 mi
Sep 24, 2005RitaTropical storm, 50 mph65 mi
Oct 4, 1949UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph61 mi
Sep 20, 1947UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph51 mi
Sep 24, 1941UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph47 mi
Aug 9, 1940UnnamedTropical storm, 45 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 Gregg County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.6%of homes have federal flood insurance (258 policies)
23.4%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$4 millionpaid on 239 flood claims since 1978
2016costliest year, with $2 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 Gregg County

$203,400median home value (Texas $283,800, US $332,700)
1980median year homes were built (Texas 1992, US 1980)
50%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
7.9%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; 53,883 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
Smith CountyModerate30
Harrison CountyLow25
Rusk CountyLow24
Upshur CountyLow21

Cities in Gregg County

Common questions about Gregg County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Gregg County?

Tornado has the highest expected yearly losses in Gregg County, about $19.9 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $14.5 million.

How many federal disasters has Gregg County had?

Gregg County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1966, including 13 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Beryl in July 2024.

Is Gregg County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Moderate, 27th 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 Gregg County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 167 homes in Gregg 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 Gregg County had?

NOAA records list 38 tornadoes in Gregg County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on April 1, 1979. The weather service has also logged 218 hail reports and 101 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Gregg County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 10 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Gregg County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1879, with winds near 60 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.