Hockley County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Hockley County, Texas has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 51% of US counties. It ranks 134th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are hail, tornadoes and inland flooding. FEMA estimates about $14 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $644 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 47 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $132,000 on 15 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Hockley County
- Ask about the roof age and any impact-rated shingles.
- Check your home policy for a separate wind and hail deductible.
- 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.
- 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 97.9 | $5M | ||
| Tornado | 74.6 | $2M | ||
| Inland flooding | 24.8 | $2M | ||
| Drought | 93.7 | $2M | ||
| Strong wind | 71.8 | $836K | ||
| Cold wave | 45.3 | $651K | ||
| Wildfire | 76.2 | $238K | ||
| Winter weather | 75.8 | $141K | ||
| Heat wave | 27.6 | $96K | ||
| Lightning | 29.2 | $87K | ||
| Ice storm | 49.1 | $67K | ||
| Earthquake | 29.2 | $56K | ||
| Hurricane | 26.0 | $8K | ||
| Landslide | 1.6 | $1 |
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 Hockley 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 1955
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 652 storm reports in Hockley County since 1955, with 0 deaths and 27 injuries and about $198 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 | – | 4 / 0 |
| Apr 17, 1970 | F4 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 21, 1957 | F4 | – | 4 / 0 |
| May 10, 1991 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 17, 1965 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 29, 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Levelland | $35M |
| Apr 17, 1970 | Tornado | – | $25M |
| Apr 17, 1970 | Tornado | – | $25M |
| May 25, 1999 | Hail | Levelland | $21M |
| May 30, 2001 | Hail | Anton | $20M |
| May 30, 2001 | Hail | Anton | $15M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 26, 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 Hockley 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 Hockley 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; 9,233 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Lubbock County | 18 | |
| Hale County | 13 | |
| Lamb County | 14 | |
| Terry County | 13 | |
| Yoakum County | 10 | |
| Bailey County | 14 | |
| Lynn County | 16 | |
| Cochran County | 14 |
Common questions about Hockley County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Hockley County?
Hail has the highest expected yearly losses in Hockley County, about $4.9 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $2.5 million.
How many federal disasters has Hockley County had?
Hockley 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 Hockley County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 134th 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 Hockley County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 200 homes in Hockley 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 Hockley County had?
NOAA records list 76 tornadoes in Hockley County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on April 17, 1970. The weather service has also logged 317 hail reports and 48 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.