Home › Texas › Jones County

Jones County, Texas

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

Very Low overall risk
150th of 254highest risk in Texas
$9Mexpected losses a year
22federal declarations
1 in 83homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

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

$3.6 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.

Hail

Moderate
$1.5 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 6 times a year.
  • Ask about the roof age and any impact-rated shingles.
  • Check your home policy for a separate wind and hail deductible.
$1.1 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow39.7
$4M
HailModerate91.5
$1M
TornadoLow54.4
$1M
DroughtModerate87.8
$1M
WildfireLow85.4
$533K
Strong windModerate55.1
$475K
Heat waveLow55.0
$353K
Cold waveVery Low19.5
$161K
Winter weatherLow56.5
$60K
LightningVery Low14.9
$38K
Ice stormLow30.4
$25K
EarthquakeVery Low20.2
$21K
HurricaneVery Low32.1
$13K
LandslideVery Low31.2
$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

Severe Storm6
Flood5
Fire5
Hurricane3
Severe Ice Storm2
Drought1

Most recent

May 17, 2024Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 19, 2021Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Feb 14, 2021Severe Winter StormEmergency
Feb 25, 2019Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 14, 2018335 FireFire management
Apr 25, 2016Severe 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
Jul 1, 2011WildfiresMajor disaster
Mar 14, 2008WildfiresEmergency
Show all 22
Oct 2, 2007Tropical Storm ErinMajor disaster
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
Jul 4, 2002Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 1, 1999Extreme Fire HazardsEmergency
Aug 26, 1998Tropical Storm CharleyMajor disaster
Sep 10, 1993Extreme Fire HazardEmergency
Dec 26, 1991Severe ThunderstormsMajor 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 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.

88tornadoes
415hail reports, largest 4.5 inches
190damaging thunderstorm winds
34floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 25, 1962F3–1 / 1
May 25, 1976F3–0 / 0
May 15, 1965F3–2 / 0
May 26, 1976F3–0 / 0
May 14, 1990F3–2 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Aug 18, 2007Flash FloodHamlin$25M
Oct 17, 2018FloodRadium$6M
May 25, 1976Tornado–$3M
Jun 20, 1998Thunderstorm WindHamlin$1M
Jun 20, 1998HailHamlin$1M
Jul 6, 2002Flash FloodCountywide$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.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
1tropical storms
1886most recent: unnamed storm

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 21, 1886UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph64 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 21, 1886UnnamedTropical storm, 40 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 Jones County

Check your address flood zone ›
1.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (71 policies)
23.7%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$4 millionpaid on 119 flood claims since 1978
2007costliest year, with $1.9 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 Jones County

$96,500median home value (Texas $283,800, US $332,700)
1969median year homes were built (Texas 1992, US 1980)
67%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
12.2%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; 7,062 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
Taylor CountyModerate20
Nolan CountyVery Low18
Callahan CountyVery Low22
Haskell CountyVery Low15
Fisher CountyVery Low14
Shackelford CountyVery Low16
Stonewall CountyVery Low14

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.