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Bradford County, Florida

Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.

Very Low overall risk
61st of 67highest risk in Florida
$11Mexpected losses a year
32federal declarations
1 in 25homes with flood insurance
Photo: CC0

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

Hurricane

Moderate
$4.9 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 5 years.
  • 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.
$3.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 years.
  • 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.
$840,387 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 6 years.
  • 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
HurricaneModerate87.6
$5M
Inland floodingVery Low30.6
$3M
TornadoLow41.3
$840K
LightningModerate79.3
$647K
WildfireLow80.8
$402K
Heat waveLow47.9
$314K
Strong windLow17.4
$140K
EarthquakeVery Low36.6
$114K
Cold waveVery Low12.2
$101K
HailVery Low2.7
$4K
DroughtVery Low17.7
$2K
Winter weatherVery Low2.1
$1K
LandslideVery Low5.8
$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

Hurricane16
Severe Storm5
Fire5
Tropical Storm5
Freezing1

Most recent

Oct 11, 2024Hurricane MiltonMajor disaster
Oct 7, 2024Hurricane MiltonEmergency
Sep 28, 2024Hurricane HeleneMajor disaster
Sep 24, 2024Tropical Storm HeleneEmergency
Aug 10, 2024Hurricane DebbyMajor disaster
Aug 3, 2024Tropical Storm DebbyEmergency
Aug 31, 2023Hurricane IdaliaMajor disaster
Aug 28, 2023Tropical Storm IdaliaEmergency
Dec 13, 2022Hurricane NicoleMajor disaster
Nov 8, 2022Tropical Storm NicoleEmergency
Show all 32
Sep 29, 2022Hurricane IanMajor disaster
Sep 24, 2022Tropical Storm IanEmergency
Jul 4, 2021Tropical Storm ElsaEmergency
Aug 30, 2019Hurricane DorianEmergency
Oct 9, 2018Hurricane MichaelEmergency
Sep 10, 2017Hurricane IrmaMajor disaster
Sep 5, 2017Hurricane IrmaEmergency
Oct 8, 2016Hurricane MatthewMajor disaster
Jul 3, 2012Tropical Storm DebbyMajor disaster
Aug 24, 2008Tropical Storm FayMajor disaster
Aug 21, 2008Tropical Storm FayEmergency
May 7, 2007Suwannee Fire ComplexFire management
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 26, 2004Hurricane JeanneMajor disaster
Sep 4, 2004Hurricane FrancesMajor disaster
Aug 13, 2004Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane CharleyMajor disaster
Feb 5, 2001Severe FreezeMajor disaster
Jun 5, 2000Fl, Suwannee Fire ComplexFire management
Apr 27, 1999Fl-Fires 04/15/99Emergency
Apr 20, 1999Fl-Fires 04/13/99Fire management
Jun 18, 1998Extreme Fire HazardMajor disaster
Jan 6, 1998Severe Storms, High Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster

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.

21tornadoes
33hail reports, largest 4.5 inches
126damaging thunderstorm winds
15floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Feb 7, 1971F2–1 / 0
Jan 21, 2010EF1New River0 / 0
Feb 6, 1975F1–0 / 0
Mar 28, 1972F1–0 / 0
Jul 21, 1976F1–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jan 21, 2010TornadoNew River$4M
Feb 6, 1975Tornado–$250K
Apr 6, 2017LightningBrooker$100K
Jul 28, 2002LightningLawtey$80K
May 3, 2013FloodStarke$50K
Aug 28, 2022FloodStarke$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.

15hurricanes
1major hurricanes (Category 3+)
48tropical storms
2024most recent: Debby

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 29, 1896UnnamedCategory 3, 120 mph63 mi
Sep 10, 1964DoraCategory 2, 110 mph52 mi
Oct 11, 1888UnnamedCategory 2, 105 mph53 mi
Oct 19, 1968GladysCategory 1, 90 mph53 mi
Sep 10, 1878UnnamedCategory 1, 85 mph64 mi
Sep 17, 1928UnnamedCategory 1, 85 mph57 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 5, 2024DebbyTropical storm, 65 mph63 mi
Nov 12, 2020EtaTropical storm, 50 mph61 mi
Sep 11, 2017IrmaTropical storm, 65 mph61 mi
Sep 13, 2016JuliaTropical storm, 50 mph62 mi
Jun 7, 2016ColinTropical storm, 50 mph57 mi
Jun 6, 2013AndreaTropical storm, 50 mph61 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 ›
4%of homes have federal flood insurance (436 policies)
26.9%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$4.2 millionpaid on 184 flood claims since 1978
2017costliest year, with $3.2 million paid

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

$212,500median home value (Florida $359,000, US $332,700)
1985median year homes were built (Florida 1988, US 1980)
41%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
30%of homes are mobile homes, which are the least safe in tornadoes and high winds

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 countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Miami-Dade CountyVery HighInland flooding
Broward CountyHighInland flooding
Palm Beach CountyHighHurricane
Hillsborough CountyHighHurricane
Orange CountyHighInland flooding
Duval CountyHighInland flooding
Pinellas CountyHighHurricane
Lee CountyHighHurricane

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Alachua CountyModerate33
Clay CountyModerate37
Putnam CountyLow39
Baker CountyVery Low38
Union CountyVery Low32

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.