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Collier County, Florida

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

Relatively High overall risk
5th of 67highest risk in Florida
$398Mexpected losses a year
52federal declarations
1 in 3homes with flood insurance
Photo: David Broad, CC BY 3.0

Collier County, Florida has a relatively high overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 99% of US counties. It ranks 5th of 67 counties in Florida. The costliest hazards here are hurricanes, inland flooding and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $398 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $1,061 per resident. Since 1965 it has been included in 52 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (30 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2024 (Hurricane Milton). About 1 in 3 homes here carry federal flood insurance (51,467 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $1.1 billion on 14,773 claims here, including $921 million for floods in 2022.

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

Top risks in Collier County

Hurricane

Very High
$216 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 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.
$124 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • 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.

Cold wave

Very High
$33.6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 2 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
HurricaneVery High99.7
$216M
Inland floodingHigh98.3
$124M
Cold waveVery High99.2
$34M
Coastal floodingVery High95.2
$9M
LightningVery High99.4
$4M
WildfireModerate96.4
$4M
Heat waveModerate93.7
$4M
TornadoModerate76.4
$2M
Strong windLow51.7
$437K
DroughtModerate65.0
$297K
EarthquakeVery Low38.6
$106K
HailVery Low19.9
$53K
LandslideLow69.6
$4K

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 relatively moderate in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Hurricane25
Fire9
Severe Storm6
Freezing5
Tropical Storm5
Tornado1

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 52
Sep 29, 2022Hurricane IanMajor disaster
Sep 24, 2022Tropical Storm IanEmergency
Jul 4, 2021Tropical Storm ElsaEmergency
May 13, 202036Th Avenue FireFire management
Aug 30, 2019Hurricane DorianEmergency
Sep 10, 2017Hurricane IrmaMajor disaster
Sep 5, 2017Hurricane IrmaEmergency
Apr 21, 201730Th Avenue FireFire management
Oct 18, 2012Hurricane IsaacMajor disaster
Jul 3, 2012Tropical Storm DebbyMajor disaster
Apr 27, 2011Slope FireFire management
Aug 24, 2008Tropical Storm FayMajor disaster
Aug 21, 2008Tropical Storm FayEmergency
May 9, 2007Calloosahatchee Fire ComplexFire management
Oct 24, 2005Hurricane WilmaMajor disaster
Sep 20, 2005Tropical Storm RitaEmergency
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Aug 28, 2005Hurricane KatrinaMajor disaster
Sep 26, 2004Hurricane JeanneMajor disaster
Sep 16, 2004Hurricane IvanMajor disaster
Sep 4, 2004Hurricane FrancesMajor disaster
Aug 13, 2004Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane CharleyMajor disaster
Sep 28, 2001Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding Associated With Tropical Storm GabrielleMajor disaster
Feb 19, 2001Fl - Caloosahatchee Fire ComplexFire management
Feb 5, 2001Severe FreezeMajor disaster
Oct 4, 2000Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 11, 2000Fl - Merritt FireFire management
Oct 20, 1999Fl-Hurricane Irene-Dr-ReqMajor disaster
Oct 15, 1999Tropical Storm Irene - FloridaEmergency
Apr 27, 1999Fl-Fires 04/15/99Emergency
Apr 15, 1999Fl-Fires 04/13/99Fire management
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
Mar 13, 1993Tornadoes, Flooding, High Winds & Tides, FreezingMajor disaster
Aug 24, 1992Hurricane AndrewMajor disaster
Jan 15, 1990Severe FreezeMajor disaster
Mar 18, 1985Severe FreezeMajor disaster
Jan 31, 1977Severe Winter WeatherMajor disaster
Mar 15, 1971FreezeMajor disaster
Sep 14, 1965Hurricane BetsyMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1957

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 365 storm reports in Collier County since 1957, with 13 deaths and 65 injuries and about $13.3 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on November 9, 1968.

71tornadoes
57hail reports, largest 1.75 inches
112damaging thunderstorm winds
40floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Nov 9, 1968F2–17 / 2
Mar 17, 1983F2–0 / 0
Nov 11, 1968F2–3 / 0
Mar 9, 1998F1Naples1 / 0
Sep 26, 1982F1–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Mar 17, 1983Tornado–$3M
Sep 2, 2013LightningNorth Naples$2M
Jun 22, 2015LightningNaples$2M
Mar 9, 1998TornadoNaples$800K
Jul 8, 1994TornadoNaples$500K
Aug 7, 2006LightningLelyland$500K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 13, 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 1859, 29 hurricanes and 41 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Collier County, 27 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1935, with top winds near 180 mph about 65 miles away.

29hurricanes
15major hurricanes (Category 3+)
41tropical storms
2022most recent: Ian

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 3, 1935UnnamedCategory 5, 180 mph65 mi
Aug 24, 1992AndrewCategory 4, 155 mph64 mi
Sep 28, 2022IanCategory 4, 150 mph65 mi
Aug 13, 2004CharleyCategory 4, 150 mph60 mi
Sep 18, 1926UnnamedCategory 4, 135 mph62 mi
Sep 10, 1960DonnaCategory 4, 135 mph63 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 28, 2022IanCategory 4, 150 mph65 mi
Sep 12, 2020SallyTropical storm, 40 mph57 mi
Sep 3, 2018GordonTropical storm, 60 mph60 mi
Sep 10, 2017IrmaCategory 3, 120 mph58 mi
Aug 19, 2008FayTropical storm, 70 mph64 mi
Aug 30, 2006ErnestoTropical storm, 45 mph59 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 Collier County

Check your address flood zone ›
29.5%of homes have federal flood insurance (51,467 policies)
25367.8%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$1.1 billionpaid on 14,773 flood claims since 1978
2022costliest year, with $921 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 Collier County

$540,700median home value (Florida $359,000, US $332,700)
1996median year homes were built (Florida 1988, US 1980)
17%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
4.4%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; 239,406 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
Miami-Dade CountyVery High39
Broward CountyHigh40
Lee CountyHigh43
Monroe CountyModerate44
Hendry CountyLow36

Cities in Collier County

Common questions about Collier County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Collier County?

Hurricane has the highest expected yearly losses in Collier County, about $216 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $124 million.

How many federal disasters has Collier County had?

Collier County has been included in 52 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1965, including 30 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Milton in October 2024.

Is Collier County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively High, 5th 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 Collier County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 3 homes in Collier 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 Collier County had?

NOAA records list 71 tornadoes in Collier County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on November 9, 1968. The weather service has also logged 57 hail reports and 40 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Collier County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 29 hurricanes and 41 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Collier County, including 15 major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1935, with winds near 180 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.