Houston County, Texas: hazard risk
FEMA rates Houston County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 60.7 of 100, higher than 60% of rated U.S. counties); 1 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by lightning. Its storm record holds 414 events since 1950.
FEMA's rating for each hazard
These are FEMA's county-wide model ratings and this county's storm record. They are not an assessment of any property, address or building, and not insurance advice: a property's risk depends on its own elevation, construction and location.
FEMA gives each hazard its own rating, and a rating does not follow the score from one hazard to the next: a hazard with a higher score can carry a lower rating than another. The table sorts by FEMA's rating, then by score (0 to 100, the county against every other county for that hazard).
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning | Very High | 98.8 | $2.5M |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 87.8 | $3.6M |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 81.9 | $630K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 63.8 | $96K |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 77.8 | $198K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 77.6 | $856K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 71.2 | $587K |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 63.7 | $1.2M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 51.7 | $353K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 40.0 | $3.0M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 35.2 | $23K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 37.1 | $328 |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 30.7 | $50K |
| Hail | Very Low | 26.4 | $61K |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. A model of future loss, not a count of past events. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
What the record holds
| Hazard | Records | Deaths | Damage | Rank in state | Rank in U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 172 | 0 | $2.5M | 118th of 254 | 2240th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 121 | 0 | $804K | 201st of 254 | 2264th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 36 | 0 | $381K | 176th of 254 | 2174th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 31 | 3 | $11M | 192nd of 254 | 2144th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 14 | 0 | $15M | 238th of 254 | 1957th of 3,063 |
| Heat | 14 | 1 | – | 119th of 254 | 1381st of 3,076 |
| Winter storms | 14 | 0 | $87K | 213th of 254 | 2872nd of 3,077 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 5 | 0 | $140M | 41st of 254 | 760th of 1,849 |
| Lightning | 4 | 1 | $49K | 78th of 254 | 1562nd of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 1 | 0 | $1.3M | 230th of 254 | 2808th of 3,076 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Houston County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.