Bradford County, Florida
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Bradford County, Florida has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 63% of US counties. It ranks 61st of 67 counties in Florida. The costliest hazards here are hurricanes, inland flooding and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $11 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $382 per resident. Since 1998 it has been included in 32 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (16 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2024 (Hurricane Milton). About 1 in 25 homes here carry federal flood insurance (436 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $4.2 million on 184 claims here, including $3.2 million for floods in 2017.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Bradford County
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | 87.6 | $5M | ||
| Inland flooding | 30.6 | $3M | ||
| Tornado | 41.3 | $840K | ||
| Lightning | 79.3 | $647K | ||
| Wildfire | 80.8 | $402K | ||
| Heat wave | 47.9 | $314K | ||
| Strong wind | 17.4 | $140K | ||
| Earthquake | 36.6 | $114K | ||
| Cold wave | 12.2 | $101K | ||
| Hail | 2.7 | $4K | ||
| Drought | 17.7 | $2K | ||
| Winter weather | 2.1 | $1K | ||
| Landslide | 5.8 | $9 |
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 moderate and community resilience is relatively low in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Bradford County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 32
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 221 storm reports in Bradford County since 1961, with 0 deaths and 12 injuries and about $4.4 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on February 7, 1971.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 7, 1971 | F2 | – | 1 / 0 |
| Jan 21, 2010 | EF1 | New River | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 6, 1975 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 28, 1972 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 21, 1976 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 21, 2010 | Tornado | New River | $4M |
| Feb 6, 1975 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Apr 6, 2017 | Lightning | Brooker | $100K |
| Jul 28, 2002 | Lightning | Lawtey | $80K |
| May 3, 2013 | Flood | Starke | $50K |
| Aug 28, 2022 | Flood | Starke | $35K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 30, 2026. 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, 15 hurricanes and 48 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Bradford County, 24 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1896, with top winds near 120 mph about 63 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 29, 1896 | Unnamed | Category 3, 120 mph | 63 mi |
| Sep 10, 1964 | Dora | Category 2, 110 mph | 52 mi |
| Oct 11, 1888 | Unnamed | Category 2, 105 mph | 53 mi |
| Oct 19, 1968 | Gladys | Category 1, 90 mph | 53 mi |
| Sep 10, 1878 | Unnamed | Category 1, 85 mph | 64 mi |
| Sep 17, 1928 | Unnamed | Category 1, 85 mph | 57 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 5, 2024 | Debby | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 63 mi |
| Nov 12, 2020 | Eta | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 61 mi |
| Sep 11, 2017 | Irma | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 61 mi |
| Sep 13, 2016 | Julia | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 62 mi |
| Jun 7, 2016 | Colin | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 57 mi |
| Jun 6, 2013 | Andrea | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 61 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 Bradford 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 Bradford 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; 10,887 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Alachua County | 33 | |
| Clay County | 37 | |
| Putnam County | 39 | |
| Baker County | 38 | |
| Union County | 32 |
Common questions about Bradford County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Bradford County?
Hurricane has the highest expected yearly losses in Bradford County, about $4.9 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $3.3 million.
How many federal disasters has Bradford County had?
Bradford County has been included in 32 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1998, including 16 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Milton in October 2024.
Is Bradford County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 61st 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 Bradford County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 25 homes in Bradford 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 Bradford County had?
NOAA records list 21 tornadoes in Bradford County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on February 7, 1971. The weather service has also logged 33 hail reports and 15 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Bradford County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 15 hurricanes and 48 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Bradford County, including 1 major hurricane (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1896, with winds near 120 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.