Lipscomb County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Lipscomb County, Texas has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 72% of US counties. It ranks 175th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are drought, wildfires and inland flooding. FEMA estimates about $8.7 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $2,839 per resident. Since 1998 it has been included in 9 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (4 major disasters). The most recent was in February 2021 (severe winter storms). Only 12 homes here carry federal flood insurance.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Lipscomb County
- Check local water restrictions.
- Choose drought-tolerant plants.
- Clear dry plants and debris within 5 feet of the house.
- Get home insurance quotes early; availability varies by area.
- 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.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | 98.5 | $6M | ||
| Wildfire | 84.6 | $631K | ||
| Inland flooding | 4.4 | $613K | ||
| Cold wave | 34.6 | $489K | ||
| Tornado | 29.8 | $477K | ||
| Strong wind | 31.8 | $291K | ||
| Ice storm | 56.1 | $105K | ||
| Hail | 28.1 | $103K | ||
| Winter weather | 46.1 | $53K | ||
| Lightning | 10.1 | $32K | ||
| Earthquake | 18.5 | $23K | ||
| Heat wave | 8.9 | $14K | ||
| Hurricane | 16.7 | $4K | ||
| Landslide | 0.8 | $0 |
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 moderate 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 Lipscomb County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
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 547 storm reports in Lipscomb County since 1955, with 0 deaths and 3 injuries and about $2.5 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on March 22, 1987.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 22, 1987 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 30, 1978 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 23, 2007 | EF2 | Darrouzett | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 2, 1987 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 2, 1987 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 3, 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Booker | $500K |
| Feb 24, 2000 | Tornado | Lipscomb | $500K |
| May 3, 1978 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Mar 22, 1987 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| May 24, 2007 | Flood | Lipscomb | $220K |
| Feb 24, 2000 | Hail | Lipscomb | $75K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 4, 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.
Flood insurance in Lipscomb 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 Lipscomb 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; 1,432 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Ochiltree County | 12 | |
| Beaver County, OK | 26 | |
| Ellis County, OK | 27 | |
| Hemphill County | 12 | |
| Roberts County | 12 |
Common questions about Lipscomb County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Lipscomb County?
Drought has the highest expected yearly losses in Lipscomb County, about $5.8 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Wildfire is second at $631,156.
How many federal disasters has Lipscomb County had?
Lipscomb County has been included in 9 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1998, including 4 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storms in February 2021.
Is Lipscomb County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 175th 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 Lipscomb County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 111 homes in Lipscomb 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 Lipscomb County had?
NOAA records list 43 tornadoes in Lipscomb County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on March 22, 1987. The weather service has also logged 383 hail reports and 15 floods here.
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.