Geography-first directory

Texas Disaster Risk: Compare Places to Live

Start with a place, then compare its hazards. This directory includes 53 cities across 31 FEMA area profiles.

Cities covered

FEMA areas

Source vintage

March 2023

FEMA hazard figures cover the counties shown. Cities in the same county share those figures; neighborhood and property conditions vary within the county.

Comparing places to live

Which Texas places have lower natural-disaster risk?

Among the FEMA areas represented in this directory, Smith County, Webb County, Tom Green County have some of the lowest relative overall scores. Start with these areas, then compare individual hazards and the conditions at a specific home.

These are the five lowest-scoring covered areas, including any ties at the cutoff—not a ranking of every place in Texas. Cities in the same FEMA area share its numbers. A lower relative score does not mean zero risk or a probability of loss.

FEMA relative scores, 0–100 · March 2023 dataset · sorted by overall score, lowest first
FEMA area / covered cities	Overall	Tornado	Hurricane	River flood	Wildfire	Heat wave
Smith County Tyler	63.1Relatively Low	46.0Relatively Low	71.8Relatively Low	26.9Very Low	83.2Relatively Low	94.3Relatively Moderate
Webb County Laredo	73.3Relatively Low	74.5Relatively Moderate	81.8Relatively Low	76.9Relatively Moderate	71.5Relatively Low	80.7Relatively Moderate
Tom Green County San Angelo	78.7Relatively Low	73.7Relatively Moderate	44.0Very Low	60.5Relatively Low	96.5Relatively Moderate	95.3Relatively High
Wichita County Wichita Falls	82.5Relatively Low	92.1Relatively Moderate	46.4Very Low	93.9Relatively Moderate	92.7Relatively Moderate	94.7Relatively Moderate
Taylor County Abilene	84.1Relatively Moderate	76.9Relatively Moderate	49.3Very Low	89.2Relatively Moderate	94.8Relatively Moderate	91.4Relatively Moderate

How to choose between lower-risk places

A place with a lower tornado or hurricane score can still have substantial heat, flood, or wildfire exposure. Compare the hazards separately before choosing a home; do not average these scores into a personal safety rating.

FEMA combines expected losses, social vulnerability, and community resilience in its risk measures. Population and assets affect the results. The table is a starting point for comparing areas, not a prediction for an individual house.

How to read FEMA risk scores Check an address on FEMA flood maps ↗

Texas hazard rankings

Open a dedicated page with grouped FEMA areas, annualized frequency, city links, and preparedness guidance.

Tornado rankings →Hurricane rankings →

Cities in Texas

Compare a hazard, then choose lower or higher risk first. Rank #1 always means the highest score.

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Source

Relative scores and ratings come from FEMA National Risk Index v1.19.0. For a specific address, consult local hazard maps, property records, and insurance providers.

FEMA source ↗