Counties with the worst droughts in Texas
Canva
Counties with the worst droughts in Texas
Over one-third of the continental United States is currently experiencing moderate to exceptional drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Storms during this past winter brought heavy (in some areas, record-setting) rainfall and flooding to California, offering the state an expected two-year reprieve from widespread droughts that covered nearly 100% of the state from 2020 to 2022. But in other parts of the country, especially dry conditions continue. West Virginia is currently the state with the most widespread drought, covering all of the state’s area.
In periods of drought, levels of major reservoirs and rivers can fall dramatically. Groundwater systems are also affected as shrinking water supplies impact agriculture and hydropower generation while increasing wildfire risk.
Periods of drought have intensified and become more frequent in recent years due to climate change. Scientists predict that even in low-emissions scenarios, much of the U.S. will be drier by the end of the century.
Stacker cited data from the U.S. Drought Monitor to identify the counties in Texas with the worst droughts as of Sept. 24, 2024. Counties are listed in order of percent of the area in drought conditions. “Abnormally dry” is not considered to be a drought but is included as a separate data point. Additional data for the state overall is also included. Any counties not experiencing drought are not included in the list. Counties are listed in order of drought severity.
You may also like: Best counties to live in Texas
Emma Rubin // Stacker
Texas statistics
– Abnormally dry: 29.5%
– Area in drought: 33.1% (#21 nationally)
— Moderate drought: 17.0%
— Severe drought: 9.1%
— Extreme drought: 5.4%
— Exceptional drought: 1.6%
Canva
Wise County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 100.0%
— Severe drought: 0.0%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Canva
Swisher County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 100.0%
— Severe drought: 0.0%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Canva
Rockwall County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 100.0%
— Severe drought: 0.0%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Canva
Kaufman County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 100.0%
— Severe drought: 0.0%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%
You may also like: Best draft picks in Houston Astros history
xradiophotog // Shutterstock
Floyd County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 100.0%
— Severe drought: 0.0%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Canva
Dickens County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 100.0%
— Severe drought: 0.0%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Canva
Denton County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 100.0%
— Severe drought: 0.0%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Canva
Crosby County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 100.0%
— Severe drought: 0.0%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Canva
Collin County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 100.0%
— Severe drought: 0.0%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%
You may also like: Most popular car colors in Texas
Sabrina Janelle Gordon // Shutterstock
Hunt County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 99.9%
— Severe drought: 0.1%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%
xradiophotog // Shutterstock
Knox County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 94.6%
— Severe drought: 5.4%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%
LMPark Photos // Shutterstock
Henderson County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 91.1%
— Severe drought: 8.9%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Canva
Briscoe County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 82.5%
— Severe drought: 17.5%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Canva
Rains County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 72.0%
— Severe drought: 28.0%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%
You may also like: Cheddar cheese, ham, and other groceries that dropped in price in the South last month
Canva
Cooke County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 68.9%
— Severe drought: 31.1%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%
mivod // Shutterstock
Van Zandt County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 68.8%
— Severe drought: 31.2%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Canva
Montague County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 64.7%
— Severe drought: 35.4%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Canva
Baylor County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 60.4%
— Severe drought: 39.6%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Canva
Motley County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 43.0%
— Severe drought: 57.0%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%
You may also like: The most popular poker players in Texas
Timothy L Barnes // Shutterstock
Franklin County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 39.6%
— Severe drought: 60.4%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Canva
El Paso County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 28.3%
— Severe drought: 71.7%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Canva
Fannin County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 24.6%
— Severe drought: 75.4%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Edward H. Campbell // Shutterstock
Grayson County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 17.7%
— Severe drought: 82.3%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Canva
Hopkins County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 11.9%
— Severe drought: 88.1%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%
You may also like: Best private colleges in Texas
xradiophotog // Shutterstock
Wood County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 8.3%
— Severe drought: 91.7%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%
underworld // Shutterstock
Delta County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 6.8%
— Severe drought: 93.2%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Canva
Lamar County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 0.0%
— Severe drought: 100.0%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%
SevenMaps // Shutterstock
Loving County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 20.1%
— Severe drought: 79.9%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Canva
Hall County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 1.1%
— Severe drought: 98.0%
— Extreme drought: 0.9%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%
You may also like: Cities with the most expensive homes in Texas
Darlene Tompkins // Shutterstock
King County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 70.4%
— Severe drought: 28.3%
— Extreme drought: 1.2%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Canva
Bandera County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 8.9%
— Severe drought: 88.1%
— Extreme drought: 3.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Canva
Archer County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 5.6%
— Severe drought: 88.7%
— Extreme drought: 5.6%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%
xradiophotog // Shutterstock
Clay County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 18.6%
— Severe drought: 65.1%
— Extreme drought: 16.2%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Canva
Foard County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 24.0%
— Severe drought: 51.8%
— Extreme drought: 24.3%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%
You may also like: Counties with the most homes selling under list price in Texas
Canva
Wilbarger County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 1.8%
— Severe drought: 46.6%
— Extreme drought: 51.6%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Canva
Reeves County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 0.0%
— Severe drought: 47.8%
— Extreme drought: 52.2%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Canva
Childress County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 0.0%
— Severe drought: 31.7%
— Extreme drought: 68.3%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Canva
Cottle County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 0.0%
— Severe drought: 23.8%
— Extreme drought: 76.2%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Canva
Hardeman County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 0.0%
— Severe drought: 10.2%
— Extreme drought: 89.8%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%
You may also like: Best-performing Texas stocks last week
Canva
Wichita County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 0.0%
— Severe drought: 1.0%
— Extreme drought: 99.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Canva
Brewster County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 6.7%
— Severe drought: 45.1%
— Extreme drought: 48.2%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Richard J Roberts // Shutterstock
Hudspeth County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 23.6%
— Severe drought: 49.6%
— Extreme drought: 25.1%
— Exceptional drought: 1.7%
Canva
Culberson County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 0.0%
— Severe drought: 1.0%
— Extreme drought: 78.5%
— Exceptional drought: 20.5%
Canva
Jeff Davis County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 0.0%
— Severe drought: 6.6%
— Extreme drought: 56.0%
— Exceptional drought: 37.4%
You may also like: How compensation compares between Texas staff and travel nurses
Canva
Presidio County
– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 0.0%
— Severe drought: 0.0%
— Extreme drought: 31.0%
— Exceptional drought: 69.0%
This story features data reporting and writing by Emma Rubin and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 45 states.