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Hunt County, Texas

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

Relatively Moderate overall risk
43rd of 254highest risk in Texas
$43Mexpected losses a year
15federal declarations
1 in 250homes with flood insurance
Photo: aidankinser, public domain

Hunt County, Texas has a moderate overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 82% of US counties. It ranks 43rd of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are tornadoes, inland flooding and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $43 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $433 per resident. Since 1990 it has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (8 major disasters). The most recent was in February 2021 (severe winter storms). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (159 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $1.6 million on 63 claims here.

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

Top risks in Hunt County

$14.9 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • 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.
$12.9 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
$5.1 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
TornadoHigh96.5
$15M
Inland floodingLow71.7
$13M
Cold waveModerate86.7
$5M
Heat waveModerate91.3
$3M
HailHigh94.7
$3M
Ice stormVery High97.1
$2M
Strong windHigh84.0
$1M
EarthquakeLow62.5
$479K
WildfireLow76.9
$282K
LightningLow48.9
$206K
Winter weatherModerate64.8
$98K
DroughtLow43.9
$86K
HurricaneVery Low45.9
$46K
LandslideVery Low18.5
$89

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 moderate in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Fire5
Hurricane4
Severe Storm3
Severe Ice Storm3

Most recent

Feb 19, 2021Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Feb 14, 2021Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 9, 2011WildfiresMajor disaster
Sep 10, 2008Hurricane IkeEmergency
Mar 14, 2008WildfiresEmergency
Jun 29, 2007Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 11, 2006Extreme Wildfire ThreatMajor disaster
Sep 24, 2005Hurricane RitaMajor disaster
Sep 21, 2005Hurricane RitaEmergency
Sep 2, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Show all 15
Jan 8, 2001Severe Winter Ice StormMajor disaster
Sep 1, 1999Extreme Fire HazardsEmergency
Aug 31, 1999Tx-Greenville FireFire management
Aug 26, 1998Tropical Storm CharleyMajor disaster
May 2, 1990Severe Storms, Tornadoes & 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 673 storm reports in Hunt County since 1954, with 5 deaths and 47 injuries and about $13.8 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on December 21, 1967.

62tornadoes
251hail reports, largest 4.5 inches
257damaging thunderstorm winds
92floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Dec 21, 1967F3–0 / 0
Jun 6, 1958F3–0 / 0
May 23, 1966F3–5 / 0
Dec 14, 1971F2–2 / 0
May 13, 1985F2–23 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Dec 14, 1971Tornado–$3M
May 13, 1985Tornado–$3M
Apr 3, 2014TornadoWagner$900K
May 2, 2009Thunderstorm WindCommerce$500K
Oct 24, 2010TornadoLone Oak$500K
Apr 3, 2012TornadoUnion Vly$500K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Apr 27, 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 4 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Hunt County, 1 of them since 1950. The strongest was Tropical Storm Ike (2008), with top winds near 45 mph about 63 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
4tropical storms
2008most recent: Ike

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 13, 2008IkeTropical storm, 45 mph63 mi
Jun 5, 1871UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph64 mi
Sep 20, 1947UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph59 mi
Jun 27, 1902UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph52 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 13, 2008IkeTropical storm, 45 mph63 mi
Sep 20, 1947UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph59 mi
Jun 27, 1902UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph52 mi
Jun 5, 1871UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph64 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 Hunt County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.4%of homes have federal flood insurance (159 policies)
16.3%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$1.6 millionpaid on 63 flood claims since 1978
2015costliest year, with $336,346 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 Hunt County

$241,700median home value (Texas $283,800, US $332,700)
1990median year homes were built (Texas 1992, US 1980)
35%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
15.7%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; 43,022 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
Collin CountyHigh17
Kaufman CountyLow17
Rockwall CountyLow14
Van Zandt CountyLow18
Hopkins CountyLow19
Fannin CountyLow18
Rains CountyVery Low15
Delta CountyVery Low16

Cities in Hunt County

Common questions about Hunt County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Hunt County?

Tornado has the highest expected yearly losses in Hunt County, about $14.9 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $12.9 million.

How many federal disasters has Hunt County had?

Hunt County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1990, including 8 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storms in February 2021.

Is Hunt County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Moderate, 43rd 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 Hunt County?

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

NOAA records list 62 tornadoes in Hunt County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on December 21, 1967. The weather service has also logged 251 hail reports and 92 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Hunt County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 4 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Hunt County. The strongest was Tropical Storm Ike (2008), with winds near 45 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.