Upshur County Disaster Risk

Upshur County has a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Relatively Low, placing it in the 67th percentile nationally out of 3,144 counties. This composite score reflects the county's overall exposure to natural hazards including floods, wildfires, tornadoes, earthquakes, and hurricanes, weighted by expected annual loss and social vulnerability.

Upshur County is evaluated for five major natural hazard types: tornado (92th percentile), wildfire (77th percentile), hurricane (61th percentile), flooding (59th percentile), earthquake (40th percentile). The highest-risk hazard is tornado at the 92th percentile nationally. These scores are derived from FEMA's National Risk Index, which analyzes expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience for each hazard type.

Upshur County's composite risk percentile is 67th, compared to the Texas state average of 49th percentile. The state's overall risk rating is Relatively Low. This means Upshur County faces higher natural disaster risk than the typical county in Texas.

Yes, Upshur County's tornado risk is at the 92th percentile nationally. This places it in the top quartile for this hazard type. For flooding specifically, Upshur County is at the 59th percentile.

FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) calculates risk scores for 18 natural hazard types across all U.S. counties and census tracts. The composite score combines Expected Annual Loss (estimated dollar losses from each hazard), Social Vulnerability (demographic factors affecting disaster impact), and Community Resilience (ability to recover). Percentile scores rank each county against all 3,144 U.S. counties, and risk ratings range from Very Low to Very High.

Upshur County's composite risk score of 67th percentile is above the Texas state average of 49th percentile. This elevated risk is driven by tornado exposure (92th percentile), along with wildfire and hurricane and flooding risk. Geographic location, terrain, climate patterns, and proximity to flood zones or fault lines all influence a county's risk profile.