Martin County, Florida
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Martin County, Florida has a moderate overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 94% of US counties. It ranks 23rd of 67 counties in Florida. The costliest hazards here are hurricanes, inland flooding and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $119 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $754 per resident. Since 1965 it has been included in 39 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (22 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2024 (Hurricane Milton). About 1 in 7 homes here carry federal flood insurance (9,539 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $40 million on 2,631 claims here, including $23 million for floods in 2004.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Martin 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.
- 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.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | 98.7 | $92M | ||
| Inland flooding | 83.3 | $18M | ||
| Tornado | 74.8 | $2M | ||
| Lightning | 95.8 | $2M | ||
| Strong wind | 87.8 | $1M | ||
| Wildfire | 90.4 | $1M | ||
| Coastal flooding | 73.0 | $1M | ||
| Heat wave | 67.9 | $656K | ||
| Cold wave | 35.3 | $426K | ||
| Drought | 61.1 | $242K | ||
| Hail | 37.2 | $128K | ||
| Earthquake | 21.4 | $26K | ||
| Landslide | 33.5 | $324 |
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 Martin County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 39
Florida also had 39 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1956
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 204 storm reports in Martin County since 1956, with 4 deaths and 16 injuries and about $21.1 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on October 19, 1958.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 19, 1958 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 9, 2024 | EF2 | Gomez | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 9, 2024 | EF2 | Indiantown Crl T Arp | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 9, 1973 | F2 | – | 1 / 0 |
| Feb 2, 1983 | F2 | – | 1 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 9, 2024 | Tornado | Gomez | $11M |
| Oct 9, 2024 | Tornado | Salerno | $2M |
| Aug 2, 2001 | Flash Flood | Stuart | $2M |
| Oct 9, 2024 | Tornado | Indiantown Crl T Arp | $2M |
| Mar 6, 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Stuart Witham Fld | $1M |
| Jul 21, 2013 | Lightning | Palm City | $500K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through May 23, 2025. 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, 32 hurricanes and 42 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Martin County, 37 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1928, with top winds near 145 mph about 51 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 16, 1928 | Unnamed | Category 4, 145 mph | 51 mi |
| Aug 26, 1949 | Unnamed | Category 4, 130 mph | 54 mi |
| Oct 7, 2016 | Matthew | Category 3, 130 mph | 65 mi |
| Sep 4, 1933 | Unnamed | Category 3, 125 mph | 62 mi |
| Sep 25, 2004 | Jeanne | Category 3, 120 mph | 61 mi |
| Oct 18, 1950 | King | Category 3, 120 mph | 55 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 10, 2022 | Nicole | Category 1, 75 mph | 52 mi |
| Sep 29, 2022 | Ian | Category 1, 90 mph | 63 mi |
| Jun 4, 2022 | Alex | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 61 mi |
| Aug 2, 2020 | Isaias | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 54 mi |
| Oct 7, 2016 | Matthew | Category 3, 130 mph | 65 mi |
| Sep 13, 2016 | Julia | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 57 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 Martin 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 Martin 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; 83,121 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Palm Beach County | 38 | |
| St. Lucie County | 36 | |
| Okeechobee County | 33 | |
| Hendry County | 36 | |
| Glades County | 35 |
Cities in Martin County
Common questions about Martin County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Martin County?
Hurricane has the highest expected yearly losses in Martin County, about $91.8 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $18.2 million.
How many federal disasters has Martin County had?
Martin County has been included in 39 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1965, including 22 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Milton in October 2024.
Is Martin County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Moderate, 23rd 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 Martin County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 7 homes in Martin 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 Martin County had?
NOAA records list 42 tornadoes in Martin County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on October 19, 1958. The weather service has also logged 64 hail reports and 16 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Martin County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 32 hurricanes and 42 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Martin County, including 9 major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1928, with winds near 145 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.