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Hopkins County, Texas

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

Relatively Low overall risk
77th of 254highest risk in Texas
$28Mexpected losses a year
19federal declarations
1 in 250homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Hopkins County, Texas has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 71% of US counties. It ranks 77th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $28 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $762 per resident. Since 1974 it has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (12 major disasters). The most recent was in May 2024 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (55 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $304,000 on 36 claims here.

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

Top risks in Hopkins County

$7.9 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once 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.
$7.8 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 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.

Cold wave

Moderate
$5.1 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
Inland floodingLow58.0
$8M
TornadoHigh92.0
$8M
Cold waveModerate86.3
$5M
Strong windHigh89.4
$2M
HailModerate89.2
$2M
Ice stormHigh94.8
$1M
Heat waveLow76.4
$1M
DroughtModerate66.7
$396K
EarthquakeVery Low45.3
$197K
HurricaneVery Low57.9
$152K
LightningLow34.0
$120K
WildfireLow65.6
$117K
Winter weatherLow52.6
$66K
LandslideVery Low16.4
$70

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 moderate 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 Hopkins County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm4
Fire4
Hurricane4
Flood3
Severe Ice Storm3
Winter Storm1

Most recent

May 17, 2024Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 21, 2023Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Feb 19, 2021Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Feb 14, 2021Severe Winter StormEmergency
Feb 25, 2019Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 9, 2016Severe Winter Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
May 29, 2015Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 10, 2008Hurricane IkeEmergency
Mar 14, 2008WildfiresEmergency
Jun 29, 2007Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 19
Jan 11, 2006Extreme Wildfire ThreatMajor disaster
Sep 24, 2005Hurricane RitaMajor disaster
Sep 21, 2005Hurricane RitaEmergency
Sep 2, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jan 8, 2001Severe Winter Ice StormMajor disaster
Sep 1, 1999Extreme Fire HazardsEmergency
Aug 31, 1999Tx-Greenville FireFire management
Aug 26, 1998Tropical Storm CharleyMajor disaster
Nov 30, 1974Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster

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 510 storm reports in Hopkins County since 1955, with 1 death and 16 injuries and about $39.5 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on May 14, 1969.

35tornadoes
183hail reports, largest 3 inches
230damaging thunderstorm winds
59floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 14, 1969F3–0 / 0
Oct 31, 1974F2–1 / 0
Nov 4, 2022EF2Greenview0 / 0
Apr 11, 1979F2–0 / 0
Oct 16, 1980F2–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jun 15, 2023Thunderstorm WindComo$29M
Oct 31, 1974Tornado–$3M
Nov 4, 2022TornadoGreenview$1M
Jan 20, 2010TornadoSulphur Spgs$750K
Mar 4, 2025Thunderstorm WindTedrag$500K
Apr 3, 2014TornadoCold Ran$425K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 12, 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 5 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Hopkins County, 1 of them since 1950. The strongest was Tropical Storm Ike (2008), with top winds near 50 mph about 63 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
5tropical storms
2008most recent: Ike

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 13, 2008IkeTropical storm, 50 mph63 mi
Aug 7, 1918UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph57 mi
Jun 5, 1871UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph58 mi
Sep 20, 1947UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph56 mi
Jun 27, 1902UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph65 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 13, 2008IkeTropical storm, 50 mph63 mi
Sep 20, 1947UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph56 mi
Aug 7, 1918UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph57 mi
Jun 27, 1902UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph65 mi
Jun 5, 1871UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph58 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 Hopkins County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.4%of homes have federal flood insurance (55 policies)
25%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$304,193paid on 36 flood claims since 1978
2000costliest year, with $81,077 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 Hopkins County

$221,100median home value (Texas $283,800, US $332,700)
1985median year homes were built (Texas 1992, US 1980)
43%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
13.1%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; 15,882 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
Hunt CountyModerate15
Wood CountyLow14
Rains CountyVery Low15
Franklin CountyVery Low17
Delta CountyVery Low16

Common questions about Hopkins County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Hopkins County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Hopkins County, about $7.9 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $7.8 million.

How many federal disasters has Hopkins County had?

Hopkins County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1974, including 12 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in May 2024.

Is Hopkins County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 77th 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 Hopkins County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 250 homes in Hopkins 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 Hopkins County had?

NOAA records list 35 tornadoes in Hopkins County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on May 14, 1969. The weather service has also logged 183 hail reports and 59 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Hopkins County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 5 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Hopkins County. The strongest was Tropical Storm Ike (2008), with winds near 50 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.