Nassau County, Florida
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Nassau County, Florida has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 59% of US counties. It ranks 52nd of 67 counties in Florida. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, hurricanes and coastal flooding. FEMA estimates about $25 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $272 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 38 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (22 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2024 (Hurricane Milton). About 1 in 6 homes here carry federal flood insurance (6,287 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $13 million on 845 claims here, including $5.3 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 Nassau County
- 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.
- 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.
- Learn your evacuation zone; it is set by surge risk, not by distance from the beach.
- Ask about flood insurance even outside a mapped high-risk zone.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 59.0 | $10M | ||
| Hurricane | 88.4 | $7M | ||
| Coastal flooding | 75.8 | $2M | ||
| Tornado | 53.6 | $2M | ||
| Heat wave | 71.8 | $1M | ||
| Wildfire | 86.5 | $968K | ||
| Earthquake | 62.8 | $626K | ||
| Lightning | 71.5 | $615K | ||
| Strong wind | 18.6 | $192K | ||
| Cold wave | 12.0 | $126K | ||
| Ice storm | 53.3 | $115K | ||
| Hail | 21.8 | $92K | ||
| Winter weather | 7.6 | $7K | ||
| Drought | 16.3 | $1K | ||
| Landslide | 24.2 | $206 |
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 low and community resilience is relatively high in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Nassau County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 38
Florida also had 39 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1961
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 481 storm reports in Nassau County since 1961, with 4 deaths and 9 injuries and about $2.6 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F1 tornado on June 5, 1995 near Camden Co Ga.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 5, 1995 | F1 | Camden Co Ga | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 27, 1984 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 30, 1985 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 25, 1992 | F1 | – | 4 / 0 |
| Apr 18, 1978 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 5, 1995 | Tornado | Camden Co Ga | $800K |
| Feb 27, 1984 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Oct 30, 1985 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Feb 25, 1992 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Oct 6, 1996 | Flash Flood | Fernandina Beach | $250K |
| May 17, 2002 | Lightning | Yulee | $200K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 29, 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, 17 hurricanes and 54 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Nassau County, 21 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1898, with top winds near 130 mph about 62 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2, 1898 | Unnamed | Category 4, 130 mph | 62 mi |
| Sep 8, 1854 | Unnamed | Category 3, 125 mph | 63 mi |
| Oct 13, 1893 | Unnamed | Category 3, 120 mph | 65 mi |
| Aug 27, 1893 | Unnamed | Category 3, 115 mph | 63 mi |
| Sep 29, 1896 | Unnamed | Category 3, 115 mph | 64 mi |
| Sep 10, 1964 | Dora | Category 2, 110 mph | 56 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 5, 2024 | Debby | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 60 mi |
| Nov 12, 2020 | Eta | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 58 mi |
| Sep 13, 2016 | Julia | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 58 mi |
| Jun 7, 2016 | Colin | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 52 mi |
| Jun 7, 2013 | Andrea | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 44 mi |
| May 28, 2012 | Beryl | Tropical storm, 65 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 Nassau 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 Nassau 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; 45,058 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Duval County | 39 | |
| Camden County, GA | 19 | |
| Baker County | 38 | |
| Charlton County, GA | 19 |
Common questions about Nassau County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Nassau County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Nassau County, about $10.2 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hurricane is second at $6.8 million.
How many federal disasters has Nassau County had?
Nassau County has been included in 38 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 22 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Milton in October 2024.
Is Nassau County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 52nd 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 Nassau County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 6 homes in Nassau 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 Nassau County had?
NOAA records list 31 tornadoes in Nassau County since 1950. The strongest was an F1 tornado on June 5, 1995 near Camden Co Ga. The weather service has also logged 96 hail reports and 16 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Nassau County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 17 hurricanes and 54 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Nassau County, including 5 major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1898, with winds near 130 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.