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Kaufman County, Texas

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

Relatively Low overall risk
64th of 254highest risk in Texas
$43Mexpected losses a year
17federal declarations
1 in 200homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Kaufman County, Texas has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 76% of US counties. It ranks 64th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and heat waves. FEMA estimates about $43 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $294 per resident. Since 1989 it has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (10 major disasters). The most recent was in May 2024 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (227 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $2.0 million on 77 claims here.

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

Top risks in Kaufman County

$20.4 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.

Tornado

Moderate
$6.2 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.

Heat wave

Moderate
$5.5 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 17 times a year.
  • Check that cooling works before summer.
  • Know where the nearest cooling center is.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingModerate76.4
$20M
TornadoModerate84.6
$6M
Heat waveModerate93.3
$5M
Cold waveModerate82.5
$5M
HailHigh94.5
$3M
Strong windLow49.3
$649K
EarthquakeVery Low59.1
$520K
WildfireLow80.0
$492K
LightningLow49.7
$276K
Winter weatherModerate63.4
$123K
HurricaneVery Low50.3
$90K
Ice stormLow41.6
$69K
DroughtLow35.8
$53K
LandslideVery Low18.9
$125

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 low and community resilience is relatively high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Severe Storm6
Hurricane4
Fire3
Severe Ice Storm2
Drought1
Flood1

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 9, 2016Severe Winter Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
May 29, 2015Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and FloodingMajor 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
Show all 17
Sep 21, 2005Hurricane RitaEmergency
Sep 2, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 1, 1999Extreme Fire HazardsEmergency
Aug 26, 1998Tropical Storm CharleyMajor disaster
Sep 10, 1993Extreme Fire HazardEmergency
May 2, 1990Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
May 19, 1989Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster

Texas also had 106 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1955

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 607 storm reports in Kaufman County since 1955, with 1 death and 16 injuries and about $114 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF3 tornado on April 3, 2012 near Forney.

37tornadoes
210hail reports, largest 5 inches
266damaging thunderstorm winds
89floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 3, 2012EF3Forney7 / 0
Mar 11, 1963F3–0 / 0
Apr 25, 1970F2–0 / 1
May 29, 2019EF2Tolosa1 / 0
Mar 26, 1961F2–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 3, 2012TornadoForney$100M
Mar 2, 1997Thunderstorm WindMabank$2M
Jun 10, 2010Flash FloodMabank$2M
Apr 3, 2012HailForney$1M
May 29, 2019TornadoTolosa$1M
Apr 26, 2024Flash FloodKaufman$1M

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 7, 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 Kaufman County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1871, with top winds near 45 mph about 63 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
4tropical storms
1947most recent: unnamed storm

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Jun 5, 1871UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph63 mi
Sep 20, 1947UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph64 mi
Aug 18, 1915UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph63 mi
Jun 27, 1902UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph62 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 20, 1947UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph64 mi
Aug 18, 1915UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph63 mi
Jun 27, 1902UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph62 mi
Jun 5, 1871UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph63 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 Kaufman County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.5%of homes have federal flood insurance (227 policies)
17.9%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$2 millionpaid on 77 flood claims since 1978
2023costliest year, with $354,282 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 Kaufman County

$320,900median home value (Texas $283,800, US $332,700)
2005median year homes were built (Texas 1992, US 1980)
17%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
10.9%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; 54,130 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
Dallas CountyVery High25
Ellis CountyModerate21
Rockwall CountyLow14
Hunt CountyModerate15
Henderson CountyModerate22
Van Zandt CountyLow18

Common questions about Kaufman County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Kaufman County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Kaufman County, about $20.4 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $6.2 million.

How many federal disasters has Kaufman County had?

Kaufman County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1989, including 10 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in May 2024.

Is Kaufman County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 64th 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 Kaufman County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 200 homes in Kaufman 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 Kaufman County had?

NOAA records list 37 tornadoes in Kaufman County since 1950. The strongest was an EF3 tornado on April 3, 2012 near Forney. The weather service has also logged 210 hail reports and 89 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Kaufman County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 4 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Kaufman County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1871, 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.