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Levy County, Florida

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

Relatively Low overall risk
48th of 67highest risk in Florida
$15Mexpected losses a year
43federal declarations
1 in 23homes with flood insurance
Photo: CC0

Levy County, Florida has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 66% of US counties. It ranks 48th of 67 counties in Florida. The costliest hazards here are hurricanes, inland flooding and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $15 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $358 per resident. Since 1972 it has been included in 43 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (24 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2026 (Hurricane Isaias). About 1 in 23 homes here carry federal flood insurance (840 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $55 million on 1,316 claims here, including $27 million for floods in 2024.

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

Top risks in Levy County

Hurricane

Moderate
$6.2 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.
$4.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 4 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.

Cold wave

Moderate
$1.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 4 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
HurricaneModerate91.6
$6M
Inland floodingLow51.3
$4M
Cold waveModerate69.1
$1M
TornadoLow58.7
$1M
Coastal floodingModerate72.6
$792K
LightningHigh90.6
$749K
WildfireLow87.3
$552K
Heat waveLow53.1
$259K
Strong windLow35.3
$212K
EarthquakeVery Low33.8
$62K
DroughtLow40.3
$41K
HailVery Low5.7
$9K
Winter weatherVery Low4.0
$2K
LandslideVery Low16.0
$43

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 very 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 Levy County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane21
Severe Storm7
Tropical Storm6
Fire5
Coastal Storm1
Flood1

Most recent

Oct 9, 2026Hurricane IsaiasEmergency
Apr 23, 2026Cow Creek FireFire management
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
Show all 43
Dec 13, 2022Hurricane NicoleMajor disaster
Nov 8, 2022Tropical Storm NicoleEmergency
Sep 29, 2022Hurricane IanMajor disaster
Sep 24, 2022Tropical Storm IanEmergency
Aug 16, 2021Tropical Storm FredEmergency
Jul 4, 2021Tropical Storm ElsaEmergency
Nov 11, 2020Hurricane EtaEmergency
Aug 30, 2019Hurricane DorianEmergency
Oct 9, 2018Hurricane MichaelEmergency
Sep 10, 2017Hurricane IrmaMajor disaster
Sep 5, 2017Hurricane IrmaEmergency
Sep 28, 2016Hurricane HermineMajor disaster
Jul 3, 2012Tropical Storm DebbyMajor disaster
Apr 21, 2009Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Aug 21, 2008Tropical Storm FayEmergency
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jul 10, 2005Hurricane DennisMajor 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
Jul 29, 2003Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 5, 2001Severe FreezeMajor disaster
May 29, 2000Fl, Waccasassa Fire ComplexFire management
Apr 27, 1999Fl-Fires 04/15/99Emergency
Apr 15, 1999Fl-Fires 04/13/99Fire management
Jun 18, 1998Extreme Fire HazardMajor disaster
Jan 6, 1998Severe Storms, High Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 15, 1996Tropical Storm JosephineMajor disaster
Mar 13, 1993Tornadoes, Flooding, High Winds & Tides, FreezingMajor disaster
Sep 12, 1985Hurricane ElenaMajor disaster
May 26, 1973Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 23, 1972Tropical Storm AgnesMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1968

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 261 storm reports in Levy County since 1968, with 4 deaths and 18 injuries and about $61.3 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on March 12, 1993 near Chiefland.

23tornadoes
57hail reports, largest 1.75 inches
153damaging thunderstorm winds
8floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Mar 12, 1993F2Chiefland10 / 3
Jun 11, 1982F2–0 / 0
Oct 30, 1993F1–0 / 0
Oct 30, 1993F1–1 / 0
Oct 15, 2002F1Inglis0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Mar 12, 1993TornadoChiefland$50M
Oct 30, 1993Tornado–$5M
Apr 18, 2021Thunderstorm WindBronson$3M
Oct 30, 1993Tornado–$500K
Oct 15, 2002TornadoInglis$450K
Jun 20, 2003Flash FloodInglis$337K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 25, 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, 22 hurricanes and 43 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Levy County, 26 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1896, with top winds near 125 mph about 41 miles away.

22hurricanes
3major hurricanes (Category 3+)
43tropical storms
2024most recent: Debby

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 29, 1896UnnamedCategory 3, 125 mph41 mi
Aug 30, 2023IdaliaCategory 3, 125 mph63 mi
Sep 5, 1950EasyCategory 3, 120 mph60 mi
Oct 10, 1888UnnamedCategory 2, 110 mph53 mi
Sep 4, 1935UnnamedCategory 2, 105 mph63 mi
Sep 10, 1878UnnamedCategory 2, 105 mph64 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 5, 2024DebbyCategory 1, 80 mph61 mi
Aug 30, 2023IdaliaCategory 3, 125 mph63 mi
Nov 10, 2022NicoleTropical storm, 50 mph49 mi
Jul 7, 2021ElsaTropical storm, 65 mph61 mi
Nov 12, 2020EtaTropical storm, 60 mph65 mi
Sep 11, 2017IrmaTropical storm, 70 mph50 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 Levy County

Check your address flood zone ›
4.3%of homes have federal flood insurance (840 policies)
28.9%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$55.3 millionpaid on 1,316 flood claims since 1978
2024costliest year, with $26.6 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 Levy County

$190,600median home value (Florida $359,000, US $332,700)
1993median year homes were built (Florida 1988, US 1980)
28%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
42.8%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; 21,472 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
Marion CountyHigh36
Alachua CountyModerate33
Citrus CountyHigh39
Gilchrist CountyVery Low36
Dixie CountyVery Low43

Common questions about Levy County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Levy County?

Hurricane has the highest expected yearly losses in Levy County, about $6.2 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $4.1 million.

How many federal disasters has Levy County had?

Levy County has been included in 43 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1972, including 24 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Isaias in October 2026.

Is Levy County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 48th 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 Levy County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 23 homes in Levy 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 Levy County had?

NOAA records list 23 tornadoes in Levy County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on March 12, 1993 near Chiefland. The weather service has also logged 57 hail reports and 8 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Levy County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 22 hurricanes and 43 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Levy County, including 3 major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1896, 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.