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Nassau County, Florida

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

Relatively Low overall risk
52nd of 67highest risk in Florida
$25Mexpected losses a year
38federal declarations
1 in 6homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

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

$10.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 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.

Hurricane

Moderate
$6.8 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 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.
$2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 4 times a year.
  • 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow59.0
$10M
HurricaneModerate88.4
$7M
Coastal floodingModerate75.8
$2M
TornadoLow53.6
$2M
Heat waveLow71.8
$1M
WildfireLow86.5
$968K
EarthquakeLow62.8
$626K
LightningModerate71.5
$615K
Strong windLow18.6
$192K
Cold waveVery Low12.0
$126K
Ice stormLow53.3
$115K
HailVery Low21.8
$92K
Winter weatherVery Low7.6
$7K
DroughtVery Low16.3
$1K
LandslideVery Low24.2
$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

Hurricane20
Severe Storm7
Fire4
Tropical Storm4
Flood1
Tornado1

Most recent

Oct 11, 2024Hurricane MiltonMajor disaster
Oct 7, 2024Hurricane MiltonEmergency
Sep 28, 2024Hurricane HeleneMajor disaster
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
Show all 38
Sep 24, 2022Tropical Storm IanEmergency
Jul 4, 2021Tropical Storm ElsaEmergency
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
Jul 3, 2012Tropical Storm DebbyMajor disaster
Aug 24, 2008Tropical Storm FayMajor disaster
Aug 21, 2008Tropical Storm FayEmergency
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 26, 2004Hurricane JeanneMajor disaster
Sep 4, 2004Hurricane FrancesMajor disaster
Aug 13, 2004Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane CharleyMajor disaster
Feb 5, 2001Severe FreezeMajor disaster
Jun 2, 2000Fl, Jacksonville Fire ComplexFire management
Sep 22, 1999Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster DeclarationsMajor disaster
Sep 14, 1999Hurricane Floyd Emergency DeclarationsEmergency
May 14, 1999Jacksonville District FireFire management
Apr 27, 1999Fl-Fires 04/15/99Emergency
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
Oct 8, 1992Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
May 26, 1973Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster

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.

31tornadoes
96hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
269damaging thunderstorm winds
16floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jun 5, 1995F1Camden Co Ga0 / 0
Feb 27, 1984F1–0 / 0
Oct 30, 1985F1–0 / 0
Feb 25, 1992F1–4 / 0
Apr 18, 1978F1–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jun 5, 1995TornadoCamden Co Ga$800K
Feb 27, 1984Tornado–$250K
Oct 30, 1985Tornado–$250K
Feb 25, 1992Tornado–$250K
Oct 6, 1996Flash FloodFernandina Beach$250K
May 17, 2002LightningYulee$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.

17hurricanes
5major hurricanes (Category 3+)
54tropical storms
2024most recent: Debby

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 2, 1898UnnamedCategory 4, 130 mph62 mi
Sep 8, 1854UnnamedCategory 3, 125 mph63 mi
Oct 13, 1893UnnamedCategory 3, 120 mph65 mi
Aug 27, 1893UnnamedCategory 3, 115 mph63 mi
Sep 29, 1896UnnamedCategory 3, 115 mph64 mi
Sep 10, 1964DoraCategory 2, 110 mph56 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 5, 2024DebbyTropical storm, 55 mph60 mi
Nov 12, 2020EtaTropical storm, 45 mph58 mi
Sep 13, 2016JuliaTropical storm, 50 mph58 mi
Jun 7, 2016ColinTropical storm, 50 mph52 mi
Jun 7, 2013AndreaTropical storm, 45 mph44 mi
May 28, 2012BerylTropical storm, 65 mph59 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 ›
16.1%of homes have federal flood insurance (6,287 policies)
60.7%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$12.7 millionpaid on 845 flood claims since 1978
2017costliest year, with $5.3 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 Nassau County

$382,800median home value (Florida $359,000, US $332,700)
2000median year homes were built (Florida 1988, US 1980)
20%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
16%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; 45,058 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
Duval CountyHigh39
Camden County, GALow19
Baker CountyVery Low38
Charlton County, GAVery Low19

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.