Starr County, Texas: hazard risk
FEMA rates Starr County's overall risk Relatively Moderate (score 84.8 of 100, higher than 84% of rated U.S. counties); 1 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by cold wave. Its storm record holds 575 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Wave | Very High | 99.0 | $18M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 81.5 | $875K |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 69.7 | $275K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 60.3 | $74K |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 84.9 | $369K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 78.8 | $861K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 72.4 | $7.7M |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 67.2 | $268K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 40.3 | $25K |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 38.2 | $427K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 30.9 | $179 |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 29.7 | $39K |
| Lightning | Very Low | 21.3 | $39K |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 14.8 | $65K |
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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | 216 | 0 | $15M | 17th of 254 | 68th of 3,063 |
| Hail | 82 | 0 | $22K | 231st of 254 | 2547th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 67 | 0 | $2.3M | 7th of 254 | 475th of 3,076 |
| Floods | 60 | 0 | $147M | 131st of 254 | 1831st of 3,080 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 58 | 0 | $730K | 225th of 254 | 2667th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 53 | 0 | – | 79th of 254 | 593rd of 3,076 |
| Wildfires | 15 | 0 | $408K | 31st of 254 | 234th of 2,972 |
| Heavy rain | 10 | 0 | – | 40th of 254 | 1084th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 4 | 0 | $542K | 245th of 254 | 2727th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 3 | 0 | $15K | 153rd of 254 | 2846th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 3 | 0 | – | 249th of 254 | 3028th of 3,077 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 2 | 0 | $37M | 75th of 254 | 961st of 1,849 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 1 | 0 | – | 12th of 254 | 237th of 2,080 |
| Lightning | 1 | 0 | $1K | 152nd of 254 | 2299th of 3,080 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Starr County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.