Collier County, Florida
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
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
- 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.
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | 99.7 | $216M | ||
| Inland flooding | 98.3 | $124M | ||
| Cold wave | 99.2 | $34M | ||
| Coastal flooding | 95.2 | $9M | ||
| Lightning | 99.4 | $4M | ||
| Wildfire | 96.4 | $4M | ||
| Heat wave | 93.7 | $4M | ||
| Tornado | 76.4 | $2M | ||
| Strong wind | 51.7 | $437K | ||
| Drought | 65.0 | $297K | ||
| Earthquake | 38.6 | $106K | ||
| Hail | 19.9 | $53K | ||
| Landslide | 69.6 | $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
Most recent
Show all 52
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.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 9, 1968 | F2 | – | 17 / 2 |
| Mar 17, 1983 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 11, 1968 | F2 | – | 3 / 0 |
| Mar 9, 1998 | F1 | Naples | 1 / 0 |
| Sep 26, 1982 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 17, 1983 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Sep 2, 2013 | Lightning | North Naples | $2M |
| Jun 22, 2015 | Lightning | Naples | $2M |
| Mar 9, 1998 | Tornado | Naples | $800K |
| Jul 8, 1994 | Tornado | Naples | $500K |
| Aug 7, 2006 | Lightning | Lelyland | $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.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 3, 1935 | Unnamed | Category 5, 180 mph | 65 mi |
| Aug 24, 1992 | Andrew | Category 4, 155 mph | 64 mi |
| Sep 28, 2022 | Ian | Category 4, 150 mph | 65 mi |
| Aug 13, 2004 | Charley | Category 4, 150 mph | 60 mi |
| Sep 18, 1926 | Unnamed | Category 4, 135 mph | 62 mi |
| Sep 10, 1960 | Donna | Category 4, 135 mph | 63 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 28, 2022 | Ian | Category 4, 150 mph | 65 mi |
| Sep 12, 2020 | Sally | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 57 mi |
| Sep 3, 2018 | Gordon | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 60 mi |
| Sep 10, 2017 | Irma | Category 3, 120 mph | 58 mi |
| Aug 19, 2008 | Fay | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 64 mi |
| Aug 30, 2006 | Ernesto | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 59 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 ›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
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 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Dade County | 39 | |
| Broward County | 40 | |
| Lee County | 43 | |
| Monroe County | 44 | |
| Hendry County | 36 |
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.