Texas Leads U.S. in Natural Disasters Over Past 20 Years

A home destroyed by Hurricane Beryl bakes in the midday sun on Monday off Blue Water Highway in Surfside Beach.

The Washington Post/Getty Images

Oklahoma may be known for its tornadoes — like the one that damaged homes around Enid on Thursday night — but Texas has recorded more total natural disasters over the past two decades.

Online experts at PlayCasino analyzed federal disaster data from the past 20 years, including records from NOAA’s National Hurricane Center, NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center and the U.S. Geological Survey, to track each recorded hurricane landfall, tornado touchdown and significant earthquake across all 50 states. The data, which spans from 2005 through 2024, reveals a handful of states share far higher risks of natural disasters than the rest — and Texas carries the largest burden.

Texas is most dangerous state for natural disasters, data shows

In the span of 20 years, the Lone Star State recorded a whopping 2,724 natural disasters — well over double the total in Florida. Averaged out, this equates to 136 disasters per year.

Four hurricane landfalls occurred in the period: Rita in 2005, Ike in 2008, Harvey in 2017 and Beryl in 2024. Disasters such as these have staggering consequences; for instance, Harvey alone caused $125 billion in damages and claimed more than 100 lives.

A person looks out towards the flooded interstate after Hurricane Beryl swept through the area on July 8, 2024 in Houston, Texas.
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A 2025 survey revealed Texas has more lightning strikes than any other state. The city of Teague, east of Waco, was named the lightning capital of the U.S. It recorded 735 lightning events per square kilometer in 2024, nearly matching the combined totals of the No. 2 and No. 3 cities.

States with the most natural disasters in the past 20 years

1. Texas — 2,724 natural disasters
2. Florida — 1,012 natural disasters
3. Alaska — 768 significant earthquakes
4. California — 72 significant earthquakes

The PlayCasino analysis called states on the northern edges of the country “as close to disaster-proof as the U.S gets.” North Dakota, Vermont, Maine and Minnesota had the lowest natural disaster risks, thanks to minimal tornado exposure, almost no hurricane threat and negligible seismic activity.