Waller County, Texas: hazard risk
FEMA rates Waller County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 70.3 of 100, higher than 70% of rated U.S. counties); 2 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by drought, tornado. Its storm record holds 204 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Relatively High | 91.2 | $1.5M |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 90.2 | $6.1M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 83.3 | $2.6M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 76.2 | $952K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 72.8 | $2.0M |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 66.6 | $363K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 64.8 | $137K |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 70.7 | $150K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 69.9 | $756K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 65.6 | $9.1M |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 46.4 | $189K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 28.5 | $53K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 10.6 | $26 |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 9.4 | $6K |
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 | 60 | 0 | $1.5M | 145th of 254 | 2339th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 48 | 0 | $634K | 183rd of 254 | 2092nd of 3,080 |
| Floods | 24 | 1 | $9.0M | 115th of 254 | 1686th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 20 | 1 | $4.0M | 139th of 254 | 1609th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 16 | 0 | $15M | 202nd of 254 | 1363rd of 3,063 |
| Heat | 12 | 0 | – | 92nd of 254 | 918th of 3,076 |
| Winter storms | 11 | 0 | $3K | 163rd of 254 | 2662nd of 3,077 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 5 | 0 | $437M | 16th of 254 | 488th of 1,849 |
| Extreme cold | 1 | 0 | $357K | 195th of 254 | 2659th of 3,076 |
| High wind and dust storms | 1 | 0 | $4K | 167th of 254 | 2876th 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 Waller County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.