Jones County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Jones County, Texas has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 62% of US counties. It ranks 150th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, hail and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $8.9 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $452 per resident. Since 1990 it has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (15 major disasters). The most recent was in May 2024 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). About 1 in 83 homes here carry federal flood insurance (71 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $4.0 million on 119 claims here, including $1.9 million for floods in 2007.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Jones 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.
- 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.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 39.7 | $4M | ||
| Hail | 91.5 | $1M | ||
| Tornado | 54.4 | $1M | ||
| Drought | 87.8 | $1M | ||
| Wildfire | 85.4 | $533K | ||
| Strong wind | 55.1 | $475K | ||
| Heat wave | 55.0 | $353K | ||
| Cold wave | 19.5 | $161K | ||
| Winter weather | 56.5 | $60K | ||
| Lightning | 14.9 | $38K | ||
| Ice storm | 30.4 | $25K | ||
| Earthquake | 20.2 | $21K | ||
| Hurricane | 32.1 | $13K | ||
| Landslide | 31.2 | $254 |
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 relatively moderate in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Jones County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 22
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 728 storm reports in Jones County since 1954, with 3 deaths and 25 injuries and about $40.2 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on May 25, 1962.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 25, 1962 | F3 | – | 1 / 1 |
| May 25, 1976 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 15, 1965 | F3 | – | 2 / 0 |
| May 26, 1976 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 14, 1990 | F3 | – | 2 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 18, 2007 | Flash Flood | Hamlin | $25M |
| Oct 17, 2018 | Flood | Radium | $6M |
| May 25, 1976 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Jun 20, 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hamlin | $1M |
| Jun 20, 1998 | Hail | Hamlin | $1M |
| Jul 6, 2002 | Flash Flood | Countywide | $1M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 5, 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 1886, 0 hurricanes and 1 tropical storm have passed within 65 miles of the center of Jones County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1886, with top winds near 40 mph about 64 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 21, 1886 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 64 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 21, 1886 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 64 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 Jones 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 Jones 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; 7,062 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Taylor County | 20 | |
| Nolan County | 18 | |
| Callahan County | 22 | |
| Haskell County | 15 | |
| Fisher County | 14 | |
| Shackelford County | 16 | |
| Stonewall County | 14 |
Cities in Jones County
Common questions about Jones County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Jones County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Jones County, about $3.6 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hail is second at $1.5 million.
How many federal disasters has Jones County had?
Jones County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1990, including 15 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in May 2024.
Is Jones County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 150th 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 Jones County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 83 homes in Jones 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 Jones County had?
NOAA records list 88 tornadoes in Jones County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on May 25, 1962. The weather service has also logged 415 hail reports and 34 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Jones County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 1 tropical storm passing within 65 miles of the center of Jones County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1886, with winds near 40 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.