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Kerr County, Texas

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

Relatively Low overall risk
62nd of 254highest risk in Texas
$25Mexpected losses a year
19federal declarations
1 in 42homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Kerr County, Texas has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 77% of US counties. It ranks 62nd of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $25 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $482 per resident. Since 1978 it has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (11 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2026 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). About 1 in 42 homes here carry federal flood insurance (520 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $22 million on 373 claims here, including $18 million for floods in 2025.

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

Top risks in Kerr County

$18 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 3 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
$2.5 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 4 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.
$790,759 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 years.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingModerate85.2
$18M
TornadoModerate78.9
$3M
Cold waveLow55.5
$791K
LightningHigh89.4
$784K
HailModerate81.1
$647K
Strong windModerate63.8
$551K
Heat waveLow67.4
$548K
DroughtModerate77.2
$532K
WildfireLow84.4
$450K
Winter weatherHigh88.0
$239K
HurricaneLow62.0
$171K
EarthquakeVery Low16.4
$13K
Ice stormVery Low9.3
$3K
LandslideLow66.3
$3K

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 relatively low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Flood7
Fire4
Hurricane3
Severe Ice Storm2
Drought1
Severe Storm1

Most recent

Sep 1, 2026Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 18, 2026FloodingEmergency
Jul 6, 2025Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 21, 2023Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Feb 19, 2021Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Feb 14, 2021Severe Winter StormEmergency
Mar 14, 2008WildfiresEmergency
Jan 11, 2006Extreme Wildfire ThreatMajor disaster
Sep 24, 2005Hurricane RitaMajor disaster
Sep 21, 2005Hurricane RitaEmergency
Show all 19
Sep 2, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jul 4, 2002Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 5, 2000Tx - Sheppard Reese Fire - 09/04/00Fire management
Sep 1, 1999Extreme Fire HazardsEmergency
Aug 26, 1998Tropical Storm CharleyMajor disaster
Jul 7, 1997Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 10, 1993Extreme Fire HazardEmergency
Dec 26, 1991Severe ThunderstormsMajor disaster
Aug 3, 1978Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1957

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 426 storm reports in Kerr County since 1957, with 120 deaths and 18 injuries and about $354 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on May 7, 1995 near Mountain.

11tornadoes
247hail reports, largest 4.5 inches
51damaging thunderstorm winds
116floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 7, 1995F2Mountain2 / 0
Nov 3, 1959F2–0 / 0
Feb 25, 1971F2–0 / 0
Mar 30, 1976F1–8 / 0
Sep 16, 1969F1–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jul 4, 2025Flash FloodHunt$200M
Jul 16, 2026Flash FloodKerrville$150M
May 27, 2020Thunderstorm WindKerrville$1M
Jun 23, 1994Thunderstorm WindCountywide$501K
Oct 12, 2001Thunderstorm WindKerrville$500K
Mar 30, 1976Tornado–$250K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 16, 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 1851, 2 hurricanes and 4 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Kerr County, 2 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1886, with top winds near 85 mph about 64 miles away.

2hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
4tropical storms
2010most recent: Hermine

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 20, 1886UnnamedCategory 1, 85 mph64 mi
Aug 30, 1942UnnamedCategory 1, 75 mph64 mi
Jun 29, 1929UnnamedTropical storm, 65 mph60 mi
Jun 27, 1851UnnamedTropical storm, 55 mph63 mi
Sep 7, 2010HermineTropical storm, 45 mph64 mi
Sep 6, 1973DeliaTropical storm, 40 mph58 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 7, 2010HermineTropical storm, 45 mph64 mi
Sep 6, 1973DeliaTropical storm, 40 mph58 mi
Aug 30, 1942UnnamedCategory 1, 75 mph64 mi
Jun 29, 1929UnnamedTropical storm, 65 mph60 mi
Aug 20, 1886UnnamedCategory 1, 85 mph64 mi
Jun 27, 1851UnnamedTropical storm, 55 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 Kerr County

Check your address flood zone ›
2.4%of homes have federal flood insurance (520 policies)
32.6%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$21.7 millionpaid on 373 flood claims since 1978
2025costliest year, with $17.6 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 Kerr County

$321,200median home value (Texas $283,800, US $332,700)
1987median year homes were built (Texas 1992, US 1980)
36%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
16.8%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; 25,632 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
Kendall CountyLow22
Gillespie CountyLow18
Bandera CountyLow16
Kimble CountyVery Low19
Real CountyVery Low18
Edwards CountyVery Low18

Common questions about Kerr County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Kerr County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Kerr County, about $18 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $2.5 million.

How many federal disasters has Kerr County had?

Kerr County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1978, including 11 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in September 2026.

Is Kerr County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 62nd 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 Kerr County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 42 homes in Kerr 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 Kerr County had?

NOAA records list 11 tornadoes in Kerr County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on May 7, 1995 near Mountain. The weather service has also logged 247 hail reports and 116 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Kerr County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 2 hurricanes and 4 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Kerr County. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1886, with winds near 85 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.