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Calhoun County, Florida

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

Relatively Low overall risk
58th of 67highest risk in Florida
$11Mexpected losses a year
43federal declarations
1 in 83homes with flood insurance
Photo: CC0

Calhoun County, Florida has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 55% of US counties. It ranks 58th 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 $781 per resident. Since 1985 it has been included in 43 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (26 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2026 (Hurricane Isaias). About 1 in 83 homes here carry federal flood insurance (80 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $2.1 million on 142 claims here.

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.

Top risks in Calhoun County

Hurricane

Moderate
$4.9 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 4 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.
$2.8 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.
$1.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 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
HurricaneModerate89.1
$5M
Inland floodingVery Low32.2
$3M
TornadoLow56.6
$1M
Strong windModerate59.5
$542K
Cold waveLow40.4
$501K
LightningModerate63.4
$286K
Heat waveLow42.3
$192K
DroughtLow49.2
$102K
WildfireVery Low59.6
$61K
EarthquakeVery Low28.8
$49K
HailVery Low7.2
$15K
Winter weatherVery Low4.7
$3K
Coastal floodingVery Low21.2
$388
LandslideVery Low12.2
$29

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 high and community resilience is very low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Calhoun County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane23
Severe Storm8
Tropical Storm5
Fire4
Flood2
Tornado1

Most recent

Oct 27, 2026Hurricane IsaiasMajor disaster
Oct 9, 2026Hurricane IsaiasEmergency
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
Sep 29, 2022Hurricane IanMajor disaster
Show all 43
Sep 24, 2022Tropical Storm IanEmergency
Mar 6, 2022Chipola Fire ComplexFire management
Aug 16, 2021Tropical Storm FredEmergency
Sep 23, 2020Hurricane SallyMajor disaster
Sep 15, 2020Hurricane SallyEmergency
Aug 30, 2019Hurricane DorianEmergency
Oct 11, 2018Hurricane MichaelMajor disaster
Oct 9, 2018Hurricane MichaelEmergency
Sep 10, 2017Hurricane IrmaMajor disaster
Sep 5, 2017Hurricane IrmaEmergency
May 6, 2014Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 21, 2009Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Aug 24, 2008Tropical Storm FayMajor disaster
Aug 21, 2008Tropical Storm FayEmergency
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jul 10, 2005Hurricane DennisMajor disaster
Sep 16, 2004Hurricane IvanMajor disaster
Sep 4, 2004Hurricane FrancesMajor disaster
Aug 13, 2004Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane CharleyMajor disaster
Jun 17, 2001Tropical Storm AllisonMajor disaster
Oct 3, 2000Tropical Storm HeleneMajor disaster
Apr 27, 1999Fl-Fires 04/15/99Emergency
Apr 17, 1999Fl-Fires 04/13/99Fire management
Sep 28, 1998Hurricane GeorgesMajor disaster
Sep 25, 1998Hurricane GrorgesEmergency
Jun 18, 1998Extreme Fire HazardMajor disaster
Jan 6, 1998Severe Storms, High Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 4, 1995Hurricane OpalMajor disaster
Jul 10, 1994Severe Storms and Flooding (Tropical Storm Alberto)Major disaster
Jul 8, 1994Tropical Storm AlbertoEmergency
Mar 13, 1993Tornadoes, Flooding, High Winds & Tides, FreezingMajor disaster
Apr 3, 1990Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Dec 3, 1985Hurricane KateMajor disaster

Florida also had 39 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1952

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 226 storm reports in Calhoun County since 1952, with 5 deaths and 27 injuries and about $15.3 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on September 15, 2004 near Blountstown.

23tornadoes
28hail reports, largest 1.75 inches
136damaging thunderstorm winds
35floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Sep 15, 2004F2Blountstown5 / 4
Oct 25, 1981F2–12 / 0
Nov 17, 2014EF2Kennys Mill2 / 0
Jan 12, 1975F2–0 / 0
Jan 15, 1997F2Camps Head1 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 30, 2014FloodCenter Lake$3M
Sep 15, 2004TornadoBlountstown$3M
Oct 25, 1981Tornado–$3M
Nov 17, 2014TornadoKennys Mill$2M
Feb 25, 2013FloodAltha$1M
Mar 26, 2005Thunderstorm WindBlountstown$1M

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 29, 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 1851, 26 hurricanes and 36 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Calhoun County, 22 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Michael (2018), with top winds near 160 mph about 32 miles away.

26hurricanes
4major hurricanes (Category 3+)
36tropical storms
2022most recent: Nicole

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 10, 2018MichaelCategory 5, 160 mph32 mi
Oct 9, 1894UnnamedCategory 3, 120 mph62 mi
Oct 3, 1877UnnamedCategory 3, 115 mph60 mi
Aug 23, 1851UnnamedCategory 3, 115 mph63 mi
Aug 31, 1856UnnamedCategory 2, 105 mph56 mi
Oct 9, 1852UnnamedCategory 2, 105 mph63 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Nov 11, 2022NicoleTropical storm, 40 mph60 mi
Sep 9, 2021MindyTropical storm, 60 mph48 mi
Aug 16, 2021FredTropical storm, 65 mph63 mi
Oct 10, 2018MichaelCategory 5, 160 mph32 mi
May 28, 2018AlbertoTropical storm, 55 mph64 mi
Aug 16, 2009ClaudetteTropical storm, 55 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 Calhoun County

Check your address flood zone ›
1.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (80 policies)
11.2%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$2.1 millionpaid on 142 flood claims since 1978
1998costliest year, with $611,239 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 Calhoun County

$145,300median home value (Florida $359,000, US $332,700)
1986median year homes were built (Florida 1988, US 1980)
41%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
34.3%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; 5,683 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
Bay CountyModerate49
Jackson CountyLow34
Gadsden CountyLow39
Gulf CountyLow47
Liberty CountyVery Low41

Common questions about Calhoun County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Calhoun County?

Hurricane has the highest expected yearly losses in Calhoun County, about $4.9 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $2.8 million.

How many federal disasters has Calhoun County had?

Calhoun County has been included in 43 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1985, including 26 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Isaias in October 2026.

Is Calhoun County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 58th 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 Calhoun County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 83 homes in Calhoun 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 Calhoun County had?

NOAA records list 23 tornadoes in Calhoun County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on September 15, 2004 near Blountstown. The weather service has also logged 28 hail reports and 35 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Calhoun County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 26 hurricanes and 36 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Calhoun County, including 4 major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was Hurricane Michael (2018), with winds near 160 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.