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Liberty County, Florida

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

Very Low overall risk
66th of 67highest risk in Florida
$5Mexpected losses a year
41federal declarations
1 in 250homes with flood insurance
Photo: CC0

Liberty County, Florida has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 87% of US counties. It ranks 66th of 67 counties in Florida. The costliest hazards here are hurricanes, inland flooding and lightning. FEMA estimates about $4.8 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $758 per resident. Since 1985 it has been included in 41 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (25 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2026 (Hurricane Isaias). Only 13 homes here carry federal flood insurance.

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

Top risks in Liberty County

Hurricane

Moderate
$2.2 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.
$1.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 7 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.

Lightning

Moderate
$493,351 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 86 times a year.
  • Go indoors when you hear thunder.
  • Use surge protectors for electronics.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
HurricaneModerate82.1
$2M
Inland floodingVery Low8.9
$1M
LightningModerate73.6
$493K
TornadoLow28.3
$399K
Cold waveLow28.6
$337K
WildfireLow68.6
$140K
Heat waveVery Low24.1
$79K
Strong windVery Low6.3
$37K
EarthquakeVery Low16.7
$18K
HailVery Low2.6
$4K
Coastal floodingVery Low28.6
$3K
Winter weatherVery Low2.9
$2K
DroughtVery Low13.6
$139
LandslideVery Low15.1
$55

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 moderate and community resilience is relatively low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Hurricane23
Severe Storm8
Tropical Storm5
Fire3
Flood2

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
Jun 17, 2024Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Aug 31, 2023Hurricane IdaliaMajor disaster
Aug 28, 2023Tropical Storm IdaliaEmergency
Dec 13, 2022Hurricane NicoleMajor disaster
Show all 41
Sep 29, 2022Hurricane IanMajor disaster
Sep 24, 2022Tropical Storm IanEmergency
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
Sep 28, 2016Hurricane HermineMajor disaster
Jul 3, 2012Tropical Storm DebbyMajor 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
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
Jul 10, 1994Severe Storms and Flooding (Tropical Storm Alberto)Major disaster
Jul 8, 1994Tropical Storm AlbertoEmergency
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 1962

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 140 storm reports in Liberty County since 1962, with 1 death and 0 injuries and about $1.1 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF2 tornado on April 27, 2023 near Hosford.

19tornadoes
22hail reports, largest 1.75 inches
77damaging thunderstorm winds
10floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 27, 2023EF2Hosford0 / 0
Sep 15, 2004F1Wilma0 / 0
Dec 25, 1969F1–0 / 0
Mar 28, 1972F1–0 / 0
Apr 3, 1973F1–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 27, 2023TornadoHosford$500K
Sep 15, 2004TornadoWilma$100K
Aug 1, 2008LightningSweetwater$75K
Mar 7, 2005Thunderstorm WindSumatra$50K
Sep 26, 2024Flash FloodSumatra$50K
Dec 25, 1969Tornado–$25K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 12, 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, 24 hurricanes and 38 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Liberty County, 23 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Michael (2018), with top winds near 160 mph about 42 miles away.

24hurricanes
4major hurricanes (Category 3+)
38tropical storms
2022most recent: Nicole

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 10, 2018MichaelCategory 5, 160 mph42 mi
Oct 9, 1894UnnamedCategory 3, 120 mph56 mi
Oct 3, 1877UnnamedCategory 3, 115 mph61 mi
Aug 23, 1851UnnamedCategory 3, 115 mph62 mi
Aug 31, 1856UnnamedCategory 2, 105 mph62 mi
Oct 9, 1852UnnamedCategory 2, 105 mph58 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Nov 10, 2022NicoleTropical storm, 40 mph53 mi
Sep 9, 2021MindyTropical storm, 60 mph41 mi
Aug 16, 2021FredTropical storm, 65 mph61 mi
Oct 10, 2018MichaelCategory 5, 160 mph42 mi
Sep 2, 2016HermineCategory 1, 80 mph64 mi
Aug 16, 2009ClaudetteTropical storm, 55 mph64 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 Liberty County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.4%of homes have federal flood insurance (13 policies)
4.9%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$131,633paid on 9 flood claims since 1978
2009costliest year, with $77,053 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 Liberty County

$127,300median home value (Florida $359,000, US $332,700)
1991median year homes were built (Florida 1988, US 1980)
30%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
37%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; 3,238 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
Leon CountyModerate35
Jackson CountyLow34
Gadsden CountyLow39
Wakulla CountyLow45
Gulf CountyLow47
Calhoun CountyLow43
Franklin CountyLow46

Common questions about Liberty County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Liberty County?

Hurricane has the highest expected yearly losses in Liberty County, about $2.2 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $1.1 million.

How many federal disasters has Liberty County had?

Liberty County has been included in 41 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1985, including 25 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Isaias in October 2026.

Is Liberty County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 66th 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 Liberty County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 250 homes in Liberty 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 Liberty County had?

NOAA records list 19 tornadoes in Liberty County since 1950. The strongest was an EF2 tornado on April 27, 2023 near Hosford. The weather service has also logged 22 hail reports and 10 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Liberty County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 24 hurricanes and 38 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Liberty 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.