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Pecos County, Texas

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

Very Low overall risk
182nd of 254highest risk in Texas
$6Mexpected losses a year
14federal declarations
1 in 500homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Pecos County, Texas has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 75% of US counties. It ranks 182nd of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, drought and hail. FEMA estimates about $5.7 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $378 per resident. Since 1989 it has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (8 major disasters). The most recent was in July 2026 (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 Pecos County

$1.9 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 3 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.
$1.6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 79 times a year.
  • Check local water restrictions.
  • Choose drought-tolerant plants.

Hail

Moderate
$556,959 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 2 times a year.
  • Ask about the roof age and any impact-rated shingles.
  • Check your home policy for a separate wind and hail deductible.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingVery Low23.5
$2M
DroughtHigh94.5
$2M
HailModerate78.8
$557K
Heat waveLow60.6
$404K
LightningModerate68.7
$319K
Strong windLow41.9
$292K
TornadoVery Low26.1
$265K
Cold waveVery Low19.0
$138K
WildfireLow64.8
$81K
Ice stormLow56.1
$75K
Winter weatherLow58.7
$59K
EarthquakeVery Low20.7
$21K
HurricaneVery Low30.5
$10K
LandslideVery Low16.5
$51
AvalancheVery Low2.8
$1

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 Pecos County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Fire5
Severe Storm3
Hurricane3
Severe Ice Storm2
Flood1

Most recent

Jul 18, 2026FloodingEmergency
Feb 19, 2021Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Feb 14, 2021Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 9, 2011WildfiresMajor disaster
Jul 1, 2011WildfiresMajor disaster
Mar 14, 2008WildfiresEmergency
Jan 11, 2006Extreme Wildfire ThreatMajor disaster
Sep 24, 2005Hurricane RitaMajor disaster
Sep 21, 2005Hurricane RitaEmergency
Sep 2, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Show all 14
Sep 1, 1999Extreme Fire HazardsEmergency
Aug 26, 1998Tropical Storm CharleyMajor disaster
May 2, 1990Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
May 19, 1989Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1954

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 990 storm reports in Pecos County since 1954, with 2 deaths and 27 injuries and about $52.5 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on June 1, 1990.

99tornadoes
589hail reports, largest 5 inches
176damaging thunderstorm winds
123floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jun 1, 1990F4–21 / 2
May 4, 1961F3–0 / 0
Apr 15, 1990F2–0 / 0
May 16, 1961F2–0 / 0
Apr 21, 1960F2–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jun 1, 1990Tornado–$25M
Apr 24, 1994HailIraan$5M
Apr 4, 2004HailFt Stockton$3M
May 10, 2002HailCoyanosa$3M
Apr 15, 1990Tornado–$3M
Jun 23, 1995HailFort Stockton$3M

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 16, 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 1929, 0 hurricanes and 3 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Pecos County, 1 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1929, with top winds near 55 mph about 63 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
3tropical storms
1970most recent: Celia

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Jun 29, 1929UnnamedTropical storm, 55 mph63 mi
Aug 31, 1942UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph65 mi
Aug 4, 1970CeliaTropical storm, 40 mph62 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 4, 1970CeliaTropical storm, 40 mph62 mi
Aug 31, 1942UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph65 mi
Jun 29, 1929UnnamedTropical storm, 55 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 Pecos County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (9 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$0paid on 0 flood claims since 1978
n/acostliest year

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 Pecos County

$165,700median home value (Texas $283,800, US $332,700)
1981median year homes were built (Texas 1992, US 1980)
49%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
19.9%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; 5,897 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
Reeves CountyVery Low11
Ward CountyVery Low9
Brewster CountyVery Low12
Crane CountyVery Low10
Crockett CountyVery Low14
Jeff Davis CountyVery Low16
Terrell CountyVery Low14

Common questions about Pecos County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Pecos County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Pecos County, about $1.9 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Drought is second at $1.6 million.

How many federal disasters has Pecos County had?

Pecos County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1989, including 8 major disasters. The most recent was Flooding in July 2026.

Is Pecos County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 182nd 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 Pecos County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 500 homes in Pecos 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 Pecos County had?

NOAA records list 99 tornadoes in Pecos County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on June 1, 1990. The weather service has also logged 589 hail reports and 123 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Pecos County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 3 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Pecos County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1929, with winds near 55 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.