Lubbock County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Lubbock County, Texas has a relatively high overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 96% of US counties. It ranks 12th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are drought, inland flooding and hail. FEMA estimates about $214 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $689 per resident. Since 1970 it has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (10 major disasters). The most recent was in February 2021 (severe winter storms). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (765 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $2.7 million on 346 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Lubbock County
- Check local water restrictions.
- Choose drought-tolerant plants.
- 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.
- Ask about the roof age and any impact-rated shingles.
- Check your home policy for a separate wind and hail deductible.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | 99.8 | $62M | ||
| Inland flooding | 92.1 | $47M | ||
| Hail | 99.8 | $35M | ||
| Tornado | 98.8 | $32M | ||
| Strong wind | 99.8 | $17M | ||
| Cold wave | 97.0 | $15M | ||
| Heat wave | 80.6 | $1M | ||
| Winter weather | 98.6 | $1M | ||
| Ice storm | 92.1 | $1M | ||
| Lightning | 83.0 | $804K | ||
| Wildfire | 86.2 | $750K | ||
| Earthquake | 60.4 | $439K | ||
| Hurricane | 47.2 | $54K | ||
| Landslide | 20.5 | $117 |
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 relatively moderate in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Lubbock County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 18
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 1,341 storm reports in Lubbock County since 1955, with 29 deaths and 527 injuries and about $1.6 billion in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F5 tornado on May 11, 1970.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 11, 1970 | F5 | – | 500 / 26 |
| Apr 21, 1957 | F4 | – | 6 / 0 |
| May 24, 1957 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 21, 1957 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 21, 1957 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 5, 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lubbock Intl Ar | $400M |
| May 8, 2015 | Hail | Woodrow | $300M |
| May 11, 1970 | Tornado | – | $250M |
| Jun 7, 2014 | Flood | Hurlwood | $100M |
| May 20, 2020 | Hail | Woodrow | $100M |
| Jun 23, 2023 | Hail | Wolfforth | $50M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 31, 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 Lubbock 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 Lubbock 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; 139,344 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Hale County | 13 | |
| Hockley County | 14 | |
| Lamb County | 14 | |
| Terry County | 13 | |
| Garza County | 15 | |
| Lynn County | 16 | |
| Floyd County | 14 | |
| Crosby County | 14 |
Cities in Lubbock County
Common questions about Lubbock County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Lubbock County?
Drought has the highest expected yearly losses in Lubbock County, about $61.9 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $46.8 million.
How many federal disasters has Lubbock County had?
Lubbock County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1970, including 10 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storms in February 2021.
Is Lubbock County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively High, 12th 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 Lubbock County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 125 homes in Lubbock 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 Lubbock County had?
NOAA records list 98 tornadoes in Lubbock County since 1950. The strongest was an F5 tornado on May 11, 1970. The weather service has also logged 671 hail reports and 83 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.