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Rains County, Texas

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

Very Low overall risk
204th of 254highest risk in Texas
$6Mexpected losses a year
15federal declarations
1 in 500homes with flood insurance
Photo: aidankinser, public domain

Rains County, Texas has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 86% of US counties. It ranks 204th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are tornadoes, inland flooding and ice storms. FEMA estimates about $5.6 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $464 per resident. Since 1966 it has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (10 major disasters). The most recent was in May 2024 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). Only 13 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 Rains County

$1.9 million 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.
$1.5 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 years.
  • 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.
$499,957 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • Trim branches that hang over the roof or power lines.
  • Plan for several days without power.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
TornadoLow62.1
$2M
Inland floodingVery Low12.5
$2M
Ice stormHigh82.9
$500K
Cold waveLow33.3
$478K
Heat waveLow47.9
$331K
Strong windLow30.8
$290K
DroughtLow57.0
$224K
HailLow46.5
$222K
LightningLow28.8
$101K
EarthquakeVery Low22.6
$34K
HurricaneVery Low42.0
$34K
WildfireVery Low42.5
$29K
Winter weatherVery Low16.5
$13K
LandslideVery Low5.9
$9

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 low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Flood3
Severe Storm3
Fire3
Severe Ice Storm3
Hurricane3

Most recent

May 17, 2024Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 19, 2021Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Feb 14, 2021Severe Winter StormEmergency
Feb 9, 2016Severe Winter Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 14, 2008WildfiresEmergency
Jan 11, 2006Extreme Wildfire ThreatMajor disaster
Sep 24, 2005Hurricane RitaMajor disaster
Sep 21, 2005Hurricane RitaEmergency
Sep 2, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jan 8, 2001Severe Winter Ice StormMajor disaster
Show all 15
Sep 1, 1999Extreme Fire HazardsEmergency
Aug 26, 1998Tropical Storm CharleyMajor disaster
May 2, 1990Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 27, 1972Heavy Rains & FloodingMajor disaster
May 12, 1966Severe Storms & 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 191 storm reports in Rains County since 1954, with 1 death and 2 injuries and about $2.6 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on December 3, 1973.

16tornadoes
76hail reports, largest 4.5 inches
75damaging thunderstorm winds
22floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Dec 3, 1973F3–0 / 0
Oct 18, 1993F2Emory0 / 1
Apr 29, 2017EF2Dunbar0 / 0
Mar 14, 1990F2–0 / 0
Mar 10, 1973F1–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Oct 18, 1993TornadoEmory$500K
Apr 11, 2016HailAlba$500K
Mar 10, 1973Tornado–$250K
Jul 6, 2026HailPoint$250K
Apr 11, 2016HailEmory$100K
Apr 11, 2016HailFlats$100K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 6, 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, 0 hurricanes and 5 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Rains County, 1 of them since 1950. The strongest was Tropical Storm Ike (2008), with top winds near 50 mph about 54 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
5tropical storms
2008most recent: Ike

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 13, 2008IkeTropical storm, 50 mph54 mi
Aug 7, 1918UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph63 mi
Jun 5, 1871UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph63 mi
Sep 20, 1947UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph55 mi
Jun 27, 1902UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph56 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 13, 2008IkeTropical storm, 50 mph54 mi
Sep 20, 1947UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph55 mi
Aug 7, 1918UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph63 mi
Jun 27, 1902UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph56 mi
Jun 5, 1871UnnamedTropical 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 Rains County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (13 policies)
7.8%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$254,885paid on 8 flood claims since 1978
2008costliest year, with $235,347 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 Rains County

$241,100median home value (Texas $283,800, US $332,700)
1996median year homes were built (Texas 1992, US 1980)
24%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
21.3%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; 5,925 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
Hunt CountyModerate15
Van Zandt CountyLow18
Wood CountyLow14
Hopkins CountyLow19

Common questions about Rains County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Rains County?

Tornado has the highest expected yearly losses in Rains County, about $1.9 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $1.5 million.

How many federal disasters has Rains County had?

Rains County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1966, including 10 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in May 2024.

Is Rains County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 204th 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 Rains County?

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

NOAA records list 16 tornadoes in Rains County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on December 3, 1973. The weather service has also logged 76 hail reports and 22 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Rains County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 5 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Rains County. The strongest was Tropical Storm Ike (2008), with winds near 50 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.