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Jasper County, Texas

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

Relatively Low overall risk
103rd of 254highest risk in Texas
$15Mexpected losses a year
30federal declarations
1 in 42homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

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

$5.4 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.

Hurricane

Moderate
$4.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 9 years.
  • 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.

Tornado

Moderate
$1.7 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 1 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow55.0
$5M
HurricaneModerate88.7
$4M
TornadoModerate68.3
$2M
Cold waveLow65.3
$1M
Strong windModerate71.4
$708K
Heat waveLow68.3
$594K
LightningModerate81.5
$544K
WildfireLow83.0
$400K
Ice stormModerate79.7
$278K
HailLow60.9
$272K
EarthquakeVery Low33.7
$71K
DroughtLow42.0
$57K
Winter weatherLow39.4
$31K
LandslideVery Low39.9
$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

Hurricane10
Flood6
Fire6
Severe Storm5
Severe Ice Storm2
Coastal Storm1

Most recent

Jul 9, 2024Hurricane BerylMajor disaster
May 17, 2024Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 19, 2021Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Feb 14, 2021Severe Winter StormEmergency
Dec 9, 2020Hurricane LauraMajor disaster
Aug 24, 2020Tropical Storms Marco and LauraEmergency
Aug 25, 2017Hurricane HarveyMajor disaster
Jun 11, 2016Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 19, 2016Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Nov 25, 2015Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 30
May 29, 2015Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 1, 2011WildfiresMajor disaster
Jun 18, 2011Powerline FireFire management
Sep 13, 2008Hurricane IkeMajor disaster
Sep 10, 2008Hurricane IkeEmergency
Aug 29, 2008Hurricane GustavEmergency
Mar 14, 2008WildfiresEmergency
Jan 11, 2006Extreme Wildfire ThreatMajor disaster
Sep 24, 2005Hurricane RitaMajor disaster
Sep 21, 2005Hurricane RitaEmergency
Sep 2, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Nov 5, 2002Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 9, 2001Tx-Tropical Storm Allison-06-06-2001Major disaster
Sep 1, 1999Extreme Fire HazardsEmergency
Aug 26, 1998Tropical Storm CharleyMajor disaster
Feb 23, 1996Extreme Fire HazardEmergency
Oct 18, 1994Severe Thunderstorms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 18, 1989Tropical Storm AllisonMajor disaster
May 19, 1989Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 11, 1973Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster

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.

58tornadoes
95hail reports, largest 4 inches
194damaging thunderstorm winds
44floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Mar 2, 1999F3Holly Spgs3 / 1
May 13, 1982F3–1 / 1
Jan 2, 1999F2Evadale10 / 1
Nov 23, 2004F2Kirbyville0 / 0
Nov 23, 2004F2Kirbyville0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Aug 29, 2017Flash FloodBeech Grove$85M
Feb 10, 1998Thunderstorm WindJasper$40M
Mar 9, 2016Flash FloodGist$15M
May 9, 2019HailJasper$5M
Jan 2, 1999TornadoEvadale$1M
Nov 23, 2004TornadoKirbyville$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.

11hurricanes
2major hurricanes (Category 3+)
25tropical storms
2020most recent: Laura

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 27, 2020LauraCategory 4, 130 mph55 mi
Jun 27, 1957AudreyCategory 3, 120 mph60 mi
Aug 6, 1918UnnamedCategory 2, 105 mph51 mi
Oct 12, 1886UnnamedCategory 2, 105 mph62 mi
Sep 24, 2005RitaCategory 2, 100 mph55 mi
Jun 14, 1886UnnamedCategory 2, 100 mph62 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 27, 2020LauraCategory 4, 130 mph55 mi
Jul 14, 2019BarryTropical storm, 50 mph61 mi
Aug 30, 2017HarveyTropical storm, 45 mph63 mi
Jun 22, 2017CindyTropical storm, 50 mph61 mi
Sep 13, 2007HumbertoCategory 1, 85 mph64 mi
Sep 24, 2005RitaCategory 2, 100 mph55 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 ›
2.4%of homes have federal flood insurance (285 policies)
18.9%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$7.5 millionpaid on 228 flood claims since 1978
2017costliest year, with $3.8 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 Jasper County

$136,400median home value (Texas $283,800, US $332,700)
1987median year homes were built (Texas 1992, US 1980)
39%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
28.1%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; 16,727 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
Angelina CountyLow20
Orange CountyModerate28
Hardin CountyLow29
Tyler CountyLow30
Newton CountyVery Low28
Sabine CountyVery Low23
San Augustine CountyVery Low23

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.