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Live Oak County, Texas

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

Very Low overall risk
162nd of 254highest risk in Texas
$7Mexpected losses a year
22federal declarations
1 in 50homes with flood insurance
Photo: Bold Frontiers, CC BY 2.0

Live Oak County, Texas has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 66% of US counties. It ranks 162nd of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are cold waves, inland flooding and hurricanes. FEMA estimates about $7.3 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $648 per resident. Since 1967 it has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (12 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2026 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). About 1 in 50 homes here carry federal flood insurance (95 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $926,000 on 56 claims here.

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

Top risks in Live Oak County

Cold wave

Moderate
$2.7 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 3 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
$2 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.
$1.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 10 years.
  • Know your evacuation zone and route before June 1.
  • Ask about roof age, shutters and the separate wind or hurricane deductible on your home policy.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Cold waveModerate81.2
$3M
Inland floodingVery Low25.3
$2M
HurricaneLow79.4
$1M
TornadoLow39.0
$553K
Heat waveLow55.5
$328K
DroughtModerate64.2
$256K
HailLow40.3
$122K
Strong windVery Low12.9
$70K
LightningVery Low15.8
$36K
WildfireVery Low46.0
$25K
Ice stormLow29.2
$21K
Winter weatherVery Low12.7
$7K
EarthquakeVery Low4.9
$3K
LandslideVery Low13.5
$34

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 very low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Hurricane9
Flood4
Fire4
Severe Ice Storm2
Drought1
Severe Storm1

Most recent

Sep 1, 2026Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 18, 2026FloodingEmergency
Feb 19, 2021Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Feb 14, 2021Severe Winter StormEmergency
Jul 26, 2020Hurricane HannaEmergency
Jul 1, 2011WildfiresMajor disaster
Jun 29, 2010Tropical Storm AlexEmergency
Apr 3, 2009Lagarto FireFire management
Mar 14, 2008WildfiresEmergency
Aug 18, 2007Hurricane DeanEmergency
Show all 22
Jan 11, 2006Extreme Wildfire ThreatMajor disaster
Sep 24, 2005Hurricane RitaMajor disaster
Sep 21, 2005Hurricane RitaEmergency
Sep 2, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jul 17, 2003Hurricane ClaudetteMajor disaster
Sep 26, 2002Tropical Storm FayMajor disaster
Jul 4, 2002Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 26, 1998Tropical Storm CharleyMajor disaster
Sep 10, 1993Extreme Fire HazardEmergency
Sep 18, 1971Heavy Rains, High Winds & FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 4, 1970Hurricane CeliaMajor disaster
Sep 28, 1967Hurricane BeulahMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1956

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 249 storm reports in Live Oak County since 1956, with 0 deaths and 4 injuries and about $2.1 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on May 29, 1967.

35tornadoes
93hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
63damaging thunderstorm winds
56floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 29, 1967F3–0 / 0
May 10, 1959F2–0 / 0
May 10, 1959F2–0 / 0
Sep 18, 1965F2–0 / 0
Aug 3, 1970F2–2 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Feb 23, 1994Thunderstorm WindGeorge West$500K
Aug 30, 1981Tornado–$250K
Mar 20, 2012Thunderstorm WindGeorge West$250K
Feb 23, 2016Thunderstorm WindOakville$200K
May 25, 2013Flash FloodThree Rivers$100K
Mar 26, 2009Thunderstorm WindGeorge West$75K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Sep 25, 2025. 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, 13 hurricanes and 12 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Live Oak County, 10 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1886, with top winds near 130 mph about 56 miles away.

13hurricanes
3major hurricanes (Category 3+)
12tropical storms
2017most recent: Harvey

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 20, 1886UnnamedCategory 4, 130 mph56 mi
Aug 3, 1970CeliaCategory 3, 130 mph58 mi
Aug 26, 2017HarveyCategory 3, 120 mph63 mi
Sep 16, 1875UnnamedCategory 2, 110 mph64 mi
Aug 30, 1942UnnamedCategory 2, 100 mph64 mi
Aug 19, 1916UnnamedCategory 1, 90 mph60 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 26, 2017HarveyCategory 3, 120 mph63 mi
Sep 7, 2010HermineTropical storm, 55 mph63 mi
Jul 15, 2003ClaudetteCategory 1, 75 mph63 mi
Sep 11, 1998FrancesTropical storm, 50 mph61 mi
Aug 22, 1998CharleyTropical storm, 45 mph64 mi
Jul 31, 1978AmeliaTropical storm, 45 mph62 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 Live Oak County

Check your address flood zone ›
2%of homes have federal flood insurance (95 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$926,440paid on 56 flood claims since 1978
2002costliest year, with $866,871 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 Live Oak County

$159,200median home value (Texas $283,800, US $332,700)
1985median year homes were built (Texas 1992, US 1980)
41%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
23.7%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; 5,996 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
San Patricio CountyModerate32
Atascosa CountyLow19
Jim Wells CountyModerate29
Bee CountyLow21
Karnes CountyLow14
Duval CountyLow19
McMullen CountyVery Low15

Common questions about Live Oak County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Live Oak County?

Cold wave has the highest expected yearly losses in Live Oak County, about $2.7 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $2 million.

How many federal disasters has Live Oak County had?

Live Oak County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1967, including 12 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in September 2026.

Is Live Oak County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 162nd 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 Live Oak County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 50 homes in Live Oak 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 Live Oak County had?

NOAA records list 35 tornadoes in Live Oak County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on May 29, 1967. The weather service has also logged 93 hail reports and 56 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Live Oak County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 13 hurricanes and 12 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Live Oak County, including 3 major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1886, with winds near 130 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.