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Stephens County, Texas

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

Very Low overall risk
217th of 254highest risk in Texas
$5Mexpected losses a year
21federal declarations
1 in 37homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Stephens County, Texas has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 91% of US counties. It ranks 217th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $4.6 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $505 per resident. Since 1978 it has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (9 major disasters). The most recent was in February 2021 (severe winter storms). About 1 in 37 homes here carry federal flood insurance (89 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $896,000 on 68 claims here.

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

Top risks in Stephens County

$2.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 1 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.
$646,200 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 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.
$372,911 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingVery Low18.7
$2M
TornadoLow34.0
$646K
Cold waveLow27.8
$373K
HailLow58.9
$366K
WildfireLow76.0
$288K
Strong windLow25.7
$247K
Heat waveVery Low38.5
$213K
DroughtLow48.3
$130K
LightningVery Low5.9
$19K
HurricaneVery Low26.9
$11K
Ice stormVery Low16.2
$11K
EarthquakeVery Low10.8
$11K
Winter weatherVery Low4.6
$3K
LandslideVery Low54.8
$2K

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 low 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 Stephens County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Fire10
Flood3
Hurricane3
Severe Storm2
Severe Ice Storm2
Drought1

Most recent

Feb 19, 2021Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Feb 14, 2021Severe Winter StormEmergency
Jun 11, 2016Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 1, 2011WildfiresMajor disaster
Apr 16, 2011Pk East FireFire management
Apr 16, 2011Hohertz FireFire management
Apr 15, 2011Pk West FireFire management
Apr 10, 2009Breckenridge FireFire management
Mar 14, 2008WildfiresEmergency
Jun 29, 2007Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 21
Aug 19, 2006Caddo Ii Fire ComplexFire management
Jan 15, 2006Caddo FireFire management
Jan 11, 2006Extreme Wildfire ThreatMajor disaster
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
Sep 10, 1993Extreme Fire HazardEmergency
Oct 23, 1981Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 3, 1978Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1955

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 398 storm reports in Stephens County since 1955, with 1 death and 6 injuries and about $9.6 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on October 30, 1979.

22tornadoes
234hail reports, largest 4 inches
112damaging thunderstorm winds
28floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Oct 30, 1979F3–0 / 0
May 21, 1979F3–0 / 0
Apr 9, 2008EF1Breckenridge Arpt6 / 0
May 27, 1979F1–0 / 0
Sep 13, 1993F0Breckenridge0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Oct 30, 1979Tornado–$3M
Feb 14, 2026LightningLa Casa$2M
Apr 9, 2008TornadoBreckenridge Arpt$1M
Apr 25, 1994HailBreckenridge$500K
Apr 3, 2025LightningBreckenridge$400K
Mar 4, 2004Thunderstorm WindBreckenridge$250K

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.

Flood insurance in Stephens County

Check your address flood zone ›
2.7%of homes have federal flood insurance (89 policies)
229.4%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$896,143paid on 68 flood claims since 1978
2016costliest year, with $582,528 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 Stephens County

$110,200median home value (Texas $283,800, US $332,700)
1975median year homes were built (Texas 1992, US 1980)
63%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
18%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; 4,676 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
Palo Pinto CountyLow25
Young CountyVery Low19
Eastland CountyVery Low24
Shackelford CountyVery Low16
Throckmorton CountyVery Low18

Common questions about Stephens County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Stephens County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Stephens County, about $2.3 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $646,200.

How many federal disasters has Stephens County had?

Stephens County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1978, including 9 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storms in February 2021.

Is Stephens County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 217th 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 Stephens County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 37 homes in Stephens 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 Stephens County had?

NOAA records list 22 tornadoes in Stephens County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on October 30, 1979. The weather service has also logged 234 hail reports and 28 floods here.

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.