Baker County, Florida
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Baker County, Florida has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 87% of US counties. It ranks 65th of 67 counties in Florida. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, hurricanes and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $6.3 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $226 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 38 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (22 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2026 (Hurricane Isaias). About 1 in 67 homes here carry federal flood insurance (146 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $2.9 million on 95 claims here, including $938,000 for floods in 2012.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Baker County
- Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
- Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.
- Know your evacuation zone and route before June 1.
- Ask about roof age, shutters and the separate wind or hurricane deductible on your home policy.
- Pick a shelter spot: a basement, or an inside room on the lowest floor with no windows.
- Turn on emergency alerts on your phone and keep a weather radio.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 22.7 | $3M | ||
| Hurricane | 74.5 | $1M | ||
| Tornado | 31.5 | $626K | ||
| Heat wave | 57.4 | $587K | ||
| Wildfire | 76.2 | $328K | ||
| Lightning | 46.7 | $234K | ||
| Cold wave | 17.2 | $202K | ||
| Earthquake | 36.0 | $132K | ||
| Strong wind | 8.0 | $65K | ||
| Hail | 8.8 | $29K | ||
| Winter weather | 2.8 | $2K | ||
| Drought | 16.6 | $2K | ||
| Landslide | 3.1 | $4 |
Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is relatively low and community resilience is relatively high in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Baker County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 38
Florida also had 39 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1961
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 260 storm reports in Baker County since 1961, with 0 deaths and 7 injuries and about $1.6 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on May 12, 1974.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 12, 1974 | F2 | – | 1 / 0 |
| Apr 15, 2007 | EF2 | Baxter | 0 / 0 |
| May 16, 1983 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 16, 2025 | EF1 | Olustee | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 3, 1994 | F0 | S of Macclenny | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 7, 1996 | Flash Flood | Macclenny | $600K |
| Jun 25, 2012 | Flood | Taylor | $500K |
| May 12, 1974 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Jan 3, 1994 | Tornado | S of Macclenny | $50K |
| Mar 9, 1976 | Tornado | – | $25K |
| May 16, 1983 | Tornado | – | $25K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Aug 2, 2025. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
Hurricane risk by county ›Since 1867, 11 hurricanes and 62 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Baker County, 27 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1898, with top winds near 125 mph about 64 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2, 1898 | Unnamed | Category 3, 125 mph | 64 mi |
| Sep 29, 1896 | Unnamed | Category 3, 115 mph | 62 mi |
| Aug 30, 2023 | Idalia | Category 2, 105 mph | 62 mi |
| Sep 10, 1964 | Dora | Category 2, 105 mph | 59 mi |
| Oct 11, 1888 | Unnamed | Category 2, 100 mph | 49 mi |
| Sep 5, 1935 | Unnamed | Category 1, 85 mph | 60 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 5, 2024 | Debby | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 60 mi |
| Aug 30, 2023 | Idalia | Category 2, 105 mph | 62 mi |
| Sep 9, 2021 | Mindy | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 60 mi |
| Jul 7, 2021 | Elsa | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 60 mi |
| Nov 12, 2020 | Eta | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 65 mi |
| Sep 11, 2017 | Irma | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 55 mi |
Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center best-track records (HURDAT2), 1851 to 2025 for the Atlantic and 1949 to 2025 for the eastern Pacific. A storm counts if its track passed within 65 miles of the county's center while it was a tropical storm or hurricane. Strength is the storm's top sustained wind at that point, not the wind measured in the county. Older storms over the open sea were sometimes missed.
Flood insurance in Baker County
Check your address flood zone ›National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.
Homes in Baker County
Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 10,148 housing units.
Compare in Florida
All 67 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Dade County | Inland flooding | |
| Broward County | Inland flooding | |
| Palm Beach County | Hurricane | |
| Hillsborough County | Hurricane | |
| Orange County | Inland flooding | |
| Duval County | Inland flooding | |
| Pinellas County | Hurricane | |
| Lee County | Hurricane |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Duval County | 39 | |
| Clay County | 37 | |
| Nassau County | 38 | |
| Columbia County | 35 | |
| Ware County, GA | 22 | |
| Bradford County | 32 | |
| Union County | 32 | |
| Charlton County, GA | 19 |
Common questions about Baker County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Baker County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Baker County, about $3 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hurricane is second at $1 million.
How many federal disasters has Baker County had?
Baker County has been included in 38 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 22 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Isaias in October 2026.
Is Baker County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 65th highest of 67 in Florida. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.
Do I need flood insurance in Baker County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 67 homes in Baker County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.
How many tornadoes has Baker County had?
NOAA records list 12 tornadoes in Baker County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on May 12, 1974. The weather service has also logged 39 hail reports and 18 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Baker County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 11 hurricanes and 62 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Baker County, including 2 major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1898, with winds near 125 mph.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.