Jasper County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Jasper County, Texas has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 61% of US counties. It ranks 103rd of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, hurricanes and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $15 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $470 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (20 major disasters). The most recent was in July 2024 (Hurricane Beryl). About 1 in 42 homes here carry federal flood insurance (285 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $7.5 million on 228 claims here, including $3.8 million for floods in 2017.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Jasper County
- 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.
- Know your evacuation zone and route before June 1.
- Ask about roof age, shutters and the separate wind or hurricane deductible on your home policy.
- 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 55.0 | $5M | ||
| Hurricane | 88.7 | $4M | ||
| Tornado | 68.3 | $2M | ||
| Cold wave | 65.3 | $1M | ||
| Strong wind | 71.4 | $708K | ||
| Heat wave | 68.3 | $594K | ||
| Lightning | 81.5 | $544K | ||
| Wildfire | 83.0 | $400K | ||
| Ice storm | 79.7 | $278K | ||
| Hail | 60.9 | $272K | ||
| Earthquake | 33.7 | $71K | ||
| Drought | 42.0 | $57K | ||
| Winter weather | 39.4 | $31K | ||
| Landslide | 39.9 | $457 |
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 very low in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Jasper County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 30
Texas also had 106 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1956
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 398 storm reports in Jasper County since 1956, with 6 deaths and 23 injuries and about $161 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on March 2, 1999 near Holly Spgs.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2, 1999 | F3 | Holly Spgs | 3 / 1 |
| May 13, 1982 | F3 | – | 1 / 1 |
| Jan 2, 1999 | F2 | Evadale | 10 / 1 |
| Nov 23, 2004 | F2 | Kirbyville | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 23, 2004 | F2 | Kirbyville | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 29, 2017 | Flash Flood | Beech Grove | $85M |
| Feb 10, 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Jasper | $40M |
| Mar 9, 2016 | Flash Flood | Gist | $15M |
| May 9, 2019 | Hail | Jasper | $5M |
| Jan 2, 1999 | Tornado | Evadale | $1M |
| Nov 23, 2004 | Tornado | Kirbyville | $1M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 2, 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 1865, 11 hurricanes and 25 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Jasper County, 19 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Laura (2020), with top winds near 130 mph about 55 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 27, 2020 | Laura | Category 4, 130 mph | 55 mi |
| Jun 27, 1957 | Audrey | Category 3, 120 mph | 60 mi |
| Aug 6, 1918 | Unnamed | Category 2, 105 mph | 51 mi |
| Oct 12, 1886 | Unnamed | Category 2, 105 mph | 62 mi |
| Sep 24, 2005 | Rita | Category 2, 100 mph | 55 mi |
| Jun 14, 1886 | Unnamed | Category 2, 100 mph | 62 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 27, 2020 | Laura | Category 4, 130 mph | 55 mi |
| Jul 14, 2019 | Barry | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 61 mi |
| Aug 30, 2017 | Harvey | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 63 mi |
| Jun 22, 2017 | Cindy | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 61 mi |
| Sep 13, 2007 | Humberto | Category 1, 85 mph | 64 mi |
| Sep 24, 2005 | Rita | Category 2, 100 mph | 55 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 Jasper 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 Jasper 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; 16,727 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Angelina County | 20 | |
| Orange County | 28 | |
| Hardin County | 29 | |
| Tyler County | 30 | |
| Newton County | 28 | |
| Sabine County | 23 | |
| San Augustine County | 23 |
Common questions about Jasper County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Jasper County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Jasper County, about $5.4 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hurricane is second at $4.2 million.
How many federal disasters has Jasper County had?
Jasper County has been included in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 20 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Beryl in July 2024.
Is Jasper County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 103rd 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 Jasper County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 42 homes in Jasper 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 Jasper County had?
NOAA records list 58 tornadoes in Jasper County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on March 2, 1999 near Holly Spgs. The weather service has also logged 95 hail reports and 44 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Jasper County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 11 hurricanes and 25 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Jasper County, including 2 major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was Hurricane Laura (2020), with winds near 130 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.