Home › Texas › Mason County

Mason County, Texas

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

Very Low overall risk
212th of 254highest risk in Texas
$3Mexpected losses a year
19federal declarations
1 in 200homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Mason County, Texas has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 89% of US counties. It ranks 212th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, drought and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $3.3 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $840 per resident. Since 1989 it has been included in 19 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). Only 9 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 Mason County

$2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once 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.

Drought

Moderate
$577,574 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 79 times a year.
  • Check local water restrictions.
  • Choose drought-tolerant plants.

Tornado

Very Low
$161,831 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 5 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingVery Low25.4
$2M
DroughtModerate79.1
$578K
TornadoVery Low20.6
$162K
HailLow47.7
$156K
LightningLow49.3
$149K
WildfireLow70.1
$115K
Strong windVery Low11.8
$59K
Heat waveVery Low23.5
$56K
Cold waveVery Low9.9
$47K
HurricaneVery Low41.5
$22K
Winter weatherLow30.1
$20K
EarthquakeVery Low2.6
$2K
Ice stormVery Low1.4
$375
LandslideVery Low16.9
$52

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 moderate in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Flood6
Fire4
Severe Storm3
Hurricane3
Severe Ice Storm2
Drought1

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
Feb 19, 2021Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Feb 14, 2021Severe Winter StormEmergency
Feb 25, 2019Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 1, 2011WildfiresMajor disaster
Mar 14, 2008WildfiresEmergency
Jun 29, 2007Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 11, 2006Extreme Wildfire ThreatMajor disaster
Show all 19
Sep 24, 2005Hurricane RitaMajor disaster
Sep 21, 2005Hurricane RitaEmergency
Sep 2, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
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
May 19, 1989Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1960

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 243 storm reports in Mason County since 1960, with 2 deaths and 8 injuries and about $16.2 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on May 11, 1999 near Loyal Vly.

12tornadoes
161hail reports, largest 4.25 inches
40damaging thunderstorm winds
28floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 11, 1999F4Loyal Vly6 / 1
Mar 2, 1979F3–1 / 0
Jun 6, 1965F2–0 / 0
Jun 12, 2009EF1Hedwigs Hill0 / 0
May 4, 2006F1Loyal Vly0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Oct 17, 2018FloodGrit$9M
Jun 22, 1997Flash FloodMason$3M
Mar 2, 1979Tornado–$3M
May 11, 1999TornadoLoyal Vly$1M
Nov 6, 1996Thunderstorm WindMason$500K
Jul 5, 2002Flash FloodCountywide$100K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 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.

Hurricanes and tropical storms

Hurricane risk by county ›

Since 1851, 1 hurricane and 3 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Mason County, 1 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1886, with top winds near 75 mph about 65 miles away.

1hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
3tropical storms
1973most recent: Delia

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 20, 1886UnnamedCategory 1, 75 mph65 mi
Aug 30, 1942UnnamedTropical storm, 65 mph63 mi
Jun 27, 1851UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph63 mi
Sep 6, 1973DeliaTropical storm, 40 mph57 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 6, 1973DeliaTropical storm, 40 mph57 mi
Aug 30, 1942UnnamedTropical storm, 65 mph63 mi
Aug 20, 1886UnnamedCategory 1, 75 mph65 mi
Jun 27, 1851UnnamedTropical 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 Mason County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.5%of homes have federal flood insurance (9 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$119,062paid on 5 flood claims since 1978
2018costliest year, with $90,000 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 Mason County

$293,600median home value (Texas $283,800, US $332,700)
1976median year homes were built (Texas 1992, US 1980)
54%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
14.8%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; 2,430 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
Gillespie CountyLow18
Llano CountyLow15
McCulloch CountyVery Low17
San Saba CountyVery Low20
Kimble CountyVery Low19
Menard CountyVery Low17

Common questions about Mason County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Mason County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Mason County, about $2 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Drought is second at $577,574.

How many federal disasters has Mason County had?

Mason County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1989, including 12 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in September 2026.

Is Mason County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 212th 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 Mason County?

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

NOAA records list 12 tornadoes in Mason County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on May 11, 1999 near Loyal Vly. The weather service has also logged 161 hail reports and 28 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Mason County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 1 hurricane and 3 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Mason County. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1886, with winds near 75 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.