What the data shows
Tornadoes are not just a Plains problem. After Texas, the states with the most tornadoes from 2016 through 2025 were Oklahoma (829), Mississippi (828), Illinois (760), Alabama (706), Iowa (644), Louisiana (627), so Southeastern states rank alongside the Plains.
Kentucky had the most tornado deaths over the period, 95. Nationwide, 513 people were killed by tornadoes from 2016 through 2025.
Most tornadoes are weak. 1,416 of 13,184, or 11%, were rated EF2 or stronger on the Enhanced Fujita scale; the rest were EF0, EF1 or unrated.
Since 1950, Texas has recorded the most tornadoes, 9,617. California recorded 61 from 2016 through 2025.
For a homeowner, tornado damage falls under the windstorm peril of a standard homeowners policy, but many insurers in tornado and hail states apply a separate wind and hail deductible, often a percentage of the dwelling limit (how wind and hail deductibles work; hail by state; your county’s storm history). On a car, tornado damage falls under comprehensive coverage.
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