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Flagler County, Florida

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

Relatively Moderate overall risk
37th of 67highest risk in Florida
$42Mexpected losses a year
36federal declarations
1 in 7homes with flood insurance
Photo: CC0

Flagler County, Florida has a moderate overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 83% of US counties. It ranks 37th of 67 counties in Florida. The costliest hazards here are hurricanes, inland flooding and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $42 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $361 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 36 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (21 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2024 (Hurricane Milton). About 1 in 7 homes here carry federal flood insurance (7,540 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $78 million on 2,153 claims here, including $43 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 Flagler County

$18.6 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.
$15.9 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.

Tornado

Moderate
$3.5 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
HurricaneHigh95.0
$19M
Inland floodingModerate79.2
$16M
TornadoModerate80.9
$4M
WildfireLow88.2
$873K
Heat waveLow70.9
$801K
Coastal floodingModerate67.6
$790K
LightningModerate75.9
$522K
Strong windLow41.4
$361K
Cold waveVery Low19.4
$181K
EarthquakeVery Low39.2
$123K
HailVery Low6.8
$17K
DroughtVery Low25.7
$12K
LandslideVery Low27.2
$200

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 Flagler County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane22
Severe Storm4
Tropical Storm4
Fire3
Freezing2
Coastal Storm1

Most recent

Oct 11, 2024Hurricane MiltonMajor disaster
Oct 7, 2024Hurricane MiltonEmergency
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
Sep 29, 2022Hurricane IanMajor disaster
Sep 24, 2022Tropical Storm IanEmergency
Show all 36
Aug 1, 2020Hurricane IsaiasEmergency
Oct 21, 2019Hurricane DorianMajor disaster
Aug 30, 2019Hurricane DorianEmergency
Sep 10, 2017Hurricane IrmaMajor disaster
Sep 5, 2017Hurricane IrmaEmergency
Oct 8, 2016Hurricane MatthewMajor disaster
Oct 6, 2016Hurricane MatthewEmergency
May 27, 2009Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Aug 24, 2008Tropical Storm FayMajor disaster
Aug 21, 2008Tropical Storm FayEmergency
May 2, 2007Deland Fire ComplexFire management
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
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 5, 2001Severe FreezeMajor disaster
May 28, 2000Fl, Bunnell Fire ComplexFire management
Oct 20, 1999Fl-Hurricane Irene-Dr-ReqMajor disaster
Oct 15, 1999Tropical Storm Irene - FloridaEmergency
Sep 22, 1999Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster DeclarationsMajor disaster
Sep 14, 1999Hurricane Floyd Emergency DeclarationsEmergency
Jun 18, 1998Extreme Fire HazardMajor disaster
Jan 6, 1998Severe Storms, High Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 31, 1977Severe Winter WeatherMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1960

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 721 storm reports in Flagler County since 1960, with 1 death and 12 injuries and about $8.7 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on November 20, 1983.

28tornadoes
117hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
302damaging thunderstorm winds
49floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Nov 20, 1983F2–0 / 0
Jul 5, 1970F2–0 / 0
Oct 12, 2023EF2Indian Trails0 / 0
Dec 14, 2013EF1Espanola0 / 0
Aug 12, 1983F1–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Dec 14, 2013TornadoEspanola$5M
Sep 14, 2001Flash FloodCountywide$2M
Mar 13, 1993Thunderstorm Wind–$500K
Aug 12, 1983Tornado–$250K
Nov 20, 1983Tornado–$250K
Aug 1, 2003LightningBunnell$75K

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 1853, 23 hurricanes and 46 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Flagler County, 28 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1854, with top winds near 125 mph about 60 miles away.

23hurricanes
4major hurricanes (Category 3+)
46tropical storms
2016most recent: Matthew

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 7, 1854UnnamedCategory 3, 125 mph60 mi
Oct 12, 1893UnnamedCategory 3, 120 mph56 mi
Oct 7, 2016MatthewCategory 3, 120 mph63 mi
Aug 27, 1893UnnamedCategory 3, 120 mph62 mi
Sep 10, 1964DoraCategory 2, 110 mph29 mi
Jul 28, 1926UnnamedCategory 2, 105 mph63 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 7, 2016MatthewCategory 3, 120 mph63 mi
Sep 13, 2016JuliaTropical storm, 50 mph33 mi
May 27, 2012BerylTropical storm, 70 mph64 mi
Aug 21, 2008FayTropical storm, 65 mph21 mi
Aug 31, 2006ErnestoTropical storm, 55 mph59 mi
Oct 5, 2005TammyTropical storm, 50 mph23 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 Flagler County

Check your address flood zone ›
15.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (7,540 policies)
115.4%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$78.2 millionpaid on 2,153 flood claims since 1978
2017costliest year, with $43 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 Flagler County

$364,900median home value (Florida $359,000, US $332,700)
2002median year homes were built (Florida 1988, US 1980)
8%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
3.6%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; 60,934 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
Volusia CountyHigh42
St. Johns CountyModerate32
Putnam CountyLow39

Cities in Flagler County

Common questions about Flagler County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Flagler County?

Hurricane has the highest expected yearly losses in Flagler County, about $18.6 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $15.9 million.

How many federal disasters has Flagler County had?

Flagler County has been included in 36 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 21 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Milton in October 2024.

Is Flagler County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Moderate, 37th 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 Flagler County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 7 homes in Flagler 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 Flagler County had?

NOAA records list 28 tornadoes in Flagler County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on November 20, 1983. The weather service has also logged 117 hail reports and 49 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Flagler County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 23 hurricanes and 46 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Flagler County, including 4 major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1854, with winds near 125 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.