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Tarrant County, Texas

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

Relatively High overall risk
4th of 254highest risk in Texas
$608Mexpected losses a year
25federal declarations
1 in 111homes with flood insurance
Photo: Jackilometresan, CC0

Tarrant County, Texas has a relatively high overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is in the top 1% of US counties. It ranks 4th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and hail. FEMA estimates about $608 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $289 per resident. Since 1966 it has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (13 major disasters). The most recent was in February 2021 (severe winter storms). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (4,999 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $62 million on 3,569 claims here.

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

Top risks in Tarrant County

$258 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 5 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.

Tornado

Very High
$144 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • 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.

Hail

Very High
$113 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 9 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 floodingHigh99.1
$258M
TornadoVery High99.9
$144M
HailVery High100.0
$113M
Heat waveHigh99.5
$50M
Cold waveHigh98.8
$29M
EarthquakeLow88.3
$4M
Ice stormVery High97.5
$3M
LightningHigh95.2
$2M
WildfireModerate91.5
$2M
Strong windModerate82.8
$1M
Winter weatherVery High97.3
$1M
HurricaneLow72.3
$728K
DroughtLow36.1
$46K
LandslideLow68.0
$5K

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 relatively low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Hurricane8
Severe Storm5
Fire5
Flood3
Severe Ice Storm2
Drought1

Most recent

Feb 19, 2021Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Feb 14, 2021Severe Winter StormEmergency
Aug 24, 2020Tropical Storms Marco and LauraEmergency
Aug 25, 2017Hurricane HarveyMajor disaster
May 29, 2015Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 10, 2008Hurricane IkeEmergency
Aug 29, 2008Hurricane GustavEmergency
Mar 14, 2008WildfiresEmergency
Aug 18, 2007Hurricane DeanEmergency
Jun 29, 2007Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 25
Jan 11, 2006Extreme Wildfire ThreatMajor disaster
Dec 28, 2005Kennedale FireFire management
Sep 24, 2005Hurricane RitaMajor disaster
Sep 21, 2005Hurricane RitaEmergency
Sep 2, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Apr 7, 2000Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 1, 1999Extreme Fire HazardsEmergency
Aug 26, 1998Tropical Storm CharleyMajor disaster
Feb 23, 1996Extreme Fire HazardEmergency
Sep 10, 1993Extreme Fire HazardEmergency
Dec 26, 1991Severe ThunderstormsMajor disaster
May 2, 1990Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
May 19, 1989Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 23, 1981Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
May 12, 1966Severe 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 2,907 storm reports in Tarrant County since 1955, with 35 deaths and 304 injuries and about $2.3 billion in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on March 28, 2000 near Ft Worth.

110tornadoes
1,422hail reports, largest 5 inches
957damaging thunderstorm winds
316floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Mar 28, 2000F3Ft Worth80 / 2
May 4, 1960F3–12 / 0
Apr 16, 2002F3Ft Worth0 / 0
Mar 28, 2000F3Arlington0 / 0
Apr 3, 2012EF2Kennedale7 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 29, 1995Hail–$220M
Apr 3, 2012TornadoKennedale$200M
Mar 17, 2016HailWestover Hills$200M
Mar 17, 2016HailSeminary Hill$150M
Mar 24, 2021HailHicks$58M
Mar 24, 2021HailHaslet$58M

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 13, 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 1900, 0 hurricanes and 3 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Tarrant County, 1 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1900, with top winds near 60 mph about 55 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
3tropical storms
1961most recent: Carla

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 9, 1900UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph55 mi
Sep 12, 1961CarlaTropical storm, 45 mph62 mi
Jun 27, 1902UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph60 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 12, 1961CarlaTropical storm, 45 mph62 mi
Jun 27, 1902UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph60 mi
Sep 9, 1900UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph55 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 Tarrant County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.9%of homes have federal flood insurance (4,999 policies)
227.6%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$61.6 millionpaid on 3,569 flood claims since 1978
2010costliest year, with $10.7 million 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 Tarrant County

$323,900median home value (Texas $283,800, US $332,700)
1990median year homes were built (Texas 1992, US 1980)
33%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
1.8%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; 843,257 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
Dallas CountyVery High25
Denton CountyHigh21
Ellis CountyModerate21
Johnson CountyModerate16
Parker CountyModerate23
Wise CountyLow20

Common questions about Tarrant County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Tarrant County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Tarrant County, about $258 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $144 million.

How many federal disasters has Tarrant County had?

Tarrant County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1966, including 13 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storms in February 2021.

Is Tarrant County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively High, 4th 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 Tarrant County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 111 homes in Tarrant 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 Tarrant County had?

NOAA records list 110 tornadoes in Tarrant County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on March 28, 2000 near Ft Worth. The weather service has also logged 1,422 hail reports and 316 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Tarrant County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 3 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Tarrant County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1900, with winds near 60 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.