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Wilbarger County, Texas

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

Relatively Low overall risk
139th of 254highest risk in Texas
$11Mexpected losses a year
15federal declarations
1 in 333homes with flood insurance
Photo: Aleatoric Consonance, CC BY 2.0

Wilbarger County, Texas has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 54% of US counties. It ranks 139th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are drought, tornadoes and inland flooding. FEMA estimates about $11 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $822 per resident. Since 1979 it has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (8 major disasters). The most recent was in February 2021 (severe winter storms). Only 13 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $187,000 on 10 claims here.

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

Top risks in Wilbarger County

$5.5 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 149 times a year.
  • Check local water restrictions.
  • Choose drought-tolerant plants.
$1.4 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 1 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.
$1.2 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
DroughtHigh99.0
$5M
TornadoLow61.9
$1M
Inland floodingVery Low13.5
$1M
Strong windModerate74.6
$800K
Heat waveLow67.4
$587K
HailModerate77.5
$560K
Cold waveVery Low23.7
$213K
Ice stormModerate66.2
$131K
WildfireLow63.5
$79K
EarthquakeVery Low34.7
$78K
Winter weatherLow38.4
$31K
LightningVery Low5.8
$13K
HurricaneVery Low29.3
$10K
LandslideVery Low21.7
$101

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 relatively high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Fire5
Severe Storm3
Hurricane3
Severe Ice Storm2
Tornado1
Drought1

Most recent

Feb 19, 2021Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Feb 14, 2021Severe Winter StormEmergency
Feb 9, 2016Severe Winter Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 1, 2011WildfiresMajor disaster
Apr 30, 2011Waggoner Ranch FireFire management
Mar 14, 2008WildfiresEmergency
Jun 29, 2007Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 11, 2006Extreme Wildfire ThreatMajor disaster
Sep 24, 2005Hurricane RitaMajor disaster
Sep 21, 2005Hurricane RitaEmergency
Show all 15
Sep 2, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 1, 1999Extreme Fire HazardsEmergency
Aug 26, 1998Tropical Storm CharleyMajor disaster
Sep 10, 1993Extreme Fire HazardEmergency
Apr 11, 1979Severe Storms & TornadoesMajor 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 595 storm reports in Wilbarger County since 1954, with 14 deaths and 105 injuries and about $35.3 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on April 10, 1979.

58tornadoes
318hail reports, largest 4.5 inches
200damaging thunderstorm winds
17floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 10, 1979F4–67 / 11
May 1, 1954F4–2 / 0
May 4, 2022EF3Lockett0 / 0
May 16, 1968F3–0 / 0
May 16, 1982F3–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 10, 1979Tornado–$25M
Sep 15, 1995Thunderstorm WindVernon$5M
Jun 7, 1992Tornado–$3M
Jun 2, 2004Thunderstorm WindVernon$1M
May 1, 1954Tornado–$250K
Jun 20, 2007Thunderstorm WindHarrold$250K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 31, 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 Wilbarger County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.3%of homes have federal flood insurance (13 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$186,914paid on 10 flood claims since 1978
1995costliest year, with $107,698 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 Wilbarger County

$89,400median home value (Texas $283,800, US $332,700)
1965median year homes were built (Texas 1992, US 1980)
74%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
4.4%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; 5,845 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
Wichita CountyModerate22
Jackson County, OKModerate28
Archer CountyVery Low19
Tillman County, OKVery Low34
Hardeman CountyVery Low14
Baylor CountyVery Low17
Foard CountyVery Low15

Common questions about Wilbarger County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Wilbarger County?

Drought has the highest expected yearly losses in Wilbarger County, about $5.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $1.4 million.

How many federal disasters has Wilbarger County had?

Wilbarger County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1979, including 8 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storms in February 2021.

Is Wilbarger County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 139th 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 Wilbarger County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 333 homes in Wilbarger 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 Wilbarger County had?

NOAA records list 58 tornadoes in Wilbarger County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on April 10, 1979. The weather service has also logged 318 hail reports and 17 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.