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Real County, Texas

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

Very Low overall risk
142nd of 254highest risk in Texas
$8Mexpected losses a year
18federal declarations
1 in 16homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Real County, Texas has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 57% of US counties. It ranks 142nd of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, wildfires and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $7.7 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $2,784 per resident. Since 1993 it has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (11 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2026 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). About 1 in 16 homes here carry federal flood insurance (125 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $684,000 on 60 claims here.

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.

Top risks in Real County

$7.1 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.
$117,723 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 545 years.
  • Clear dry plants and debris within 5 feet of the house.
  • Get home insurance quotes early; availability varies by area.

Cold wave

Very Low
$109,253 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 years.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow68.5
$7M
WildfireLow72.1
$118K
Cold waveVery Low18.0
$109K
TornadoVery Low16.8
$103K
LightningLow32.7
$69K
HailVery Low23.2
$48K
DroughtLow41.5
$44K
Heat waveVery Low19.4
$34K
HurricaneVery Low46.6
$30K
Strong windVery Low6.4
$25K
Winter weatherLow24.9
$13K
EarthquakeVery Low1.9
$1K
LandslideVery Low46.1
$615
Ice stormVery Low0.7
$199

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 Real County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Flood6
Severe Storm3
Fire3
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
May 29, 2015Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 14, 2008WildfiresEmergency
Jun 29, 2007Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 11, 2006Extreme Wildfire ThreatMajor disaster
Show all 18
Sep 24, 2005Hurricane RitaMajor disaster
Sep 21, 2005Hurricane RitaEmergency
Sep 2, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jul 4, 2002Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 1, 1999Extreme Fire HazardsEmergency
Aug 26, 1998Tropical Storm CharleyMajor disaster
Jul 7, 1997Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 10, 1993Extreme Fire HazardEmergency

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

Storm history since 1957

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 246 storm reports in Real County since 1957, with 4 deaths and 56 injuries and about $2.5 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on May 7, 1995 near Leakey.

3tornadoes
116hail reports, largest 4.5 inches
25damaging thunderstorm winds
102floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 7, 1995F2Leakey2 / 0
May 7, 1995F1Leakey5 / 0
Jul 16, 2026EF0Vance0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jun 21, 1997Flash FloodCountywide$1M
Aug 23, 1998Flash FloodCountywide$610K
Apr 15, 2001HailLeakey$80K
Apr 15, 2001Thunderstorm WindLeakey$50K
Nov 15, 2001Flash FloodCountywide$50K
Nov 15, 2001Thunderstorm WindLeakey$50K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 17, 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 4 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Real County, 1 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1886, with top winds near 75 mph about 59 miles away.

1hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
4tropical storms
2010most recent: Hermine

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 20, 1886UnnamedCategory 1, 75 mph59 mi
Aug 30, 1942UnnamedTropical storm, 70 mph62 mi
Jun 29, 1929UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph49 mi
Jun 26, 1851UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph63 mi
Sep 7, 2010HermineTropical storm, 45 mph63 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 7, 2010HermineTropical storm, 45 mph63 mi
Aug 30, 1942UnnamedTropical storm, 70 mph62 mi
Jun 29, 1929UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph49 mi
Aug 20, 1886UnnamedCategory 1, 75 mph59 mi
Jun 26, 1851UnnamedTropical storm, 60 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 Real County

Check your address flood zone ›
6.3%of homes have federal flood insurance (125 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$683,892paid on 60 flood claims since 1978
1998costliest year, with $328,976 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 Real County

$112,500median home value (Texas $283,800, US $332,700)
1989median year homes were built (Texas 1992, US 1980)
34%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
35.5%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; 1,951 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
Kerr CountyLow19
Uvalde CountyLow19
Bandera CountyLow16
Edwards CountyVery Low18

Common questions about Real County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Real County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Real County, about $7.1 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Wildfire is second at $117,723.

How many federal disasters has Real County had?

Real County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1993, including 11 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in September 2026.

Is Real County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 142nd 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 Real County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 16 homes in Real 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 Real County had?

NOAA records list 3 tornadoes in Real County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on May 7, 1995 near Leakey. The weather service has also logged 116 hail reports and 102 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Real County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 1 hurricane and 4 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Real 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.