Nacogdoches County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Nacogdoches County, Texas has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 81% of US counties. It ranks 50th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and strong wind. FEMA estimates about $32 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $496 per resident. Since 1975 it has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (14 major disasters). The most recent was in July 2024 (Hurricane Beryl). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (114 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $4.1 million on 241 claims here, including $2.0 million for floods in 2023.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Nacogdoches County
- 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.
- 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.
- Secure outdoor furniture and trash bins before storms.
- Have trees near the house checked.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 75.6 | $12M | ||
| Tornado | 94.9 | $9M | ||
| Strong wind | 96.5 | $3M | ||
| Heat wave | 91.3 | $3M | ||
| Hurricane | 83.4 | $2M | ||
| Cold wave | 68.4 | $1M | ||
| Lightning | 84.0 | $650K | ||
| Ice storm | 82.6 | $371K | ||
| Drought | 65.1 | $290K | ||
| Wildfire | 78.8 | $265K | ||
| Hail | 56.0 | $243K | ||
| Earthquake | 49.0 | $190K | ||
| Winter weather | 75.8 | $126K | ||
| Landslide | 68.7 | $4K |
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 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 Nacogdoches County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 25
Texas also had 106 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1953
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 592 storm reports in Nacogdoches County since 1953, with 6 deaths and 39 injuries and about $18.6 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on March 27, 1961.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 27, 1961 | F3 | – | 4 / 2 |
| Nov 22, 1961 | F3 | – | 10 / 1 |
| Feb 11, 1965 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 13, 2019 | EF3 | Sacul | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 10, 1983 | F2 | – | 3 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 10, 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Etoile | $3M |
| Dec 10, 1983 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| May 17, 1989 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| May 17, 1989 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Mar 30, 2002 | Tornado | Etoile | $1M |
| Mar 21, 2022 | Tornado | Lilbert | $750K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 5, 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 1871, 2 hurricanes and 17 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Nacogdoches County, 8 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1879, with top winds near 80 mph about 62 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 23, 1879 | Unnamed | Category 1, 80 mph | 62 mi |
| Sep 13, 2008 | Ike | Category 1, 80 mph | 57 mi |
| Oct 13, 1886 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 60 mi |
| Aug 6, 1918 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 56 mi |
| Sep 24, 2005 | Rita | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 60 mi |
| Jul 6, 1891 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 62 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 8, 2024 | Beryl | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 54 mi |
| Jun 22, 2017 | Cindy | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 62 mi |
| Sep 13, 2008 | Ike | Category 1, 80 mph | 57 mi |
| Sep 24, 2005 | Rita | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 60 mi |
| Oct 16, 1989 | Jerry | Tropical storm, 35 mph | 48 mi |
| Aug 10, 1987 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 61 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 Nacogdoches 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 Nacogdoches 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; 29,156 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Angelina County | 20 | |
| Rusk County | 24 | |
| Cherokee County | 25 | |
| Shelby County | 24 | |
| San Augustine County | 23 |
Cities in Nacogdoches County
Common questions about Nacogdoches County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Nacogdoches County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Nacogdoches County, about $12.1 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $8.8 million.
How many federal disasters has Nacogdoches County had?
Nacogdoches County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1975, including 14 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Beryl in July 2024.
Is Nacogdoches County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 50th 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 Nacogdoches County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 167 homes in Nacogdoches 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 Nacogdoches County had?
NOAA records list 54 tornadoes in Nacogdoches County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on March 27, 1961. The weather service has also logged 180 hail reports and 85 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Nacogdoches County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 2 hurricanes and 17 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Nacogdoches County. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1879, with winds near 80 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.