Walker County, Texas: hazard risk
FEMA rates Walker County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 73.8 of 100, higher than 73% of rated U.S. counties); 2 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by tornado, lightning. Its storm record holds 343 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado | Relatively High | 91.9 | $6.4M |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 86.3 | $757K |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 87.5 | $1.1M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 84.1 | $2.6M |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 83.8 | $3.6M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 77.1 | $254K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 78.2 | $1.1M |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 78.1 | $261K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 65.9 | $8.6M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 47.6 | $45K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 43.2 | $156K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 38.9 | $309K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 39.5 | $491 |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 31.4 | $67K |
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 | 129 | 0 | $2.0M | 105th of 254 | 2157th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 78 | 0 | $565K | 188th of 254 | 2154th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 61 | 1 | $725M | 92nd of 254 | 1436th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 18 | 1 | $5.7M | 191st of 254 | 2112th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 15 | 0 | $15M | 217th of 254 | 1718th of 3,063 |
| Winter storms | 14 | 0 | $119K | 177th of 254 | 2722nd of 3,077 |
| Heat | 13 | 0 | – | 106th of 254 | 1101st of 3,076 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 6 | 1 | $31M | 20th of 254 | 575th of 1,849 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 0 | – | 101st of 254 | 1747th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 1 | 0 | $3.6M | 209th of 254 | 2729th of 3,076 |
| High wind and dust storms | 1 | 0 | $10K | 182nd of 254 | 2938th of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 1 | 0 | $11K | 118th of 254 | 2141st 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 Walker County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.