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Osceola County, Florida

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

Relatively Moderate overall risk
26th of 67highest risk in Florida
$118Mexpected losses a year
37federal declarations
1 in 17homes with flood insurance
Photo: Pokemonprime, CC BY 4.0

Osceola County, Florida has a moderate overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 92% of US counties. It ranks 26th of 67 counties in Florida. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, strong wind and hurricanes. FEMA estimates about $118 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $303 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 37 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (21 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2024 (Hurricane Milton). About 1 in 17 homes here carry federal flood insurance (7,888 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $25 million on 1,032 claims here, including $21 million for floods in 2022.

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

Top risks in Osceola County

$52.1 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.

Strong wind

Very High
$26.8 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • Secure outdoor furniture and trash bins before storms.
  • Have trees near the house checked.
$18.2 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingModerate92.1
$52M
Strong windVery High99.8
$27M
HurricaneHigh94.2
$18M
TornadoHigh93.6
$11M
LightningVery High98.5
$4M
WildfireModerate94.8
$4M
Heat waveLow77.3
$1M
Cold waveLow34.1
$538K
EarthquakeVery Low46.5
$243K
DroughtLow43.4
$95K
HailVery Low21.9
$83K
LandslideVery Low46.6
$1K

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 low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Hurricane21
Fire5
Freezing4
Tropical Storm4
Severe Storm3

Most recent

Oct 11, 2024Hurricane MiltonMajor disaster
Oct 7, 2024Hurricane MiltonEmergency
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
Sep 24, 2022Tropical Storm IanEmergency
Show all 37
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
Aug 24, 2008Tropical Storm FayMajor disaster
Aug 21, 2008Tropical Storm FayEmergency
Oct 24, 2005Hurricane WilmaMajor disaster
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 26, 2004Hurricane JeanneMajor disaster
Sep 16, 2004Hurricane IvanMajor disaster
Sep 4, 2004Hurricane FrancesMajor disaster
Aug 13, 2004Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane CharleyMajor disaster
Apr 17, 2001Fl - Orlando Complex FireFire management
Feb 5, 2001Severe FreezeMajor disaster
May 28, 2000Fl, Orlando District Fire ComplexFire management
Oct 20, 1999Fl-Hurricane Irene-Dr-ReqMajor disaster
Oct 15, 1999Tropical Storm Irene - FloridaEmergency
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
Jan 15, 1990Severe FreezeMajor disaster
Mar 18, 1985Severe FreezeMajor disaster
Jan 31, 1977Severe Winter WeatherMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1960

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 267 storm reports in Osceola County since 1960, with 26 deaths and 172 injuries and about $362 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on April 4, 1966.

43tornadoes
92hail reports, largest 2 inches
104damaging thunderstorm winds
21floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 4, 1966F4–0 / 0
Feb 23, 1998F3Intercession City145 / 25
Mar 24, 1983F2–0 / 0
Jan 28, 1973F2–7 / 0
Mar 19, 1981F2–11 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Sep 28, 2022FloodAlligator Lake City$245M
Feb 23, 1998TornadoIntercession City$50M
Apr 4, 1966Tornado–$25M
Mar 24, 1983Tornado–$25M
Jul 11, 2009FloodKissimmee$4M
Apr 15, 2014LightningShingle Creek$4M

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 13, 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 1852, 31 hurricanes and 40 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Osceola County, 35 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Charley (2004), with top winds near 115 mph about 58 miles away.

31hurricanes
2major hurricanes (Category 3+)
40tropical storms
2024most recent: Milton

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 13, 2004CharleyCategory 3, 115 mph58 mi
Sep 17, 1928UnnamedCategory 3, 115 mph59 mi
Sep 26, 2004JeanneCategory 2, 110 mph62 mi
Sep 4, 1933UnnamedCategory 2, 110 mph62 mi
Sep 29, 2022IanCategory 2, 110 mph61 mi
Aug 27, 1949UnnamedCategory 2, 105 mph61 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 10, 2024MiltonCategory 2, 100 mph54 mi
Nov 10, 2022NicoleCategory 1, 75 mph60 mi
Sep 29, 2022IanCategory 2, 110 mph61 mi
Sep 11, 2017IrmaCategory 1, 85 mph63 mi
Jul 31, 2017EmilyTropical storm, 40 mph60 mi
Sep 13, 2016JuliaTropical storm, 50 mph54 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 Osceola County

Check your address flood zone ›
6%of homes have federal flood insurance (7,888 policies)
35.9%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$25 millionpaid on 1,032 flood claims since 1978
2022costliest year, with $21.1 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 Osceola County

$353,300median home value (Florida $359,000, US $332,700)
2002median year homes were built (Florida 1988, US 1980)
11%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
6.7%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; 171,410 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
Orange CountyHigh37
Polk CountyHigh40
Brevard CountyHigh43
Lake CountyModerate35
Indian River CountyHigh33
Highlands CountyModerate35
Okeechobee CountyLow33

Common questions about Osceola County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Osceola County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Osceola County, about $52.1 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Strong wind is second at $26.8 million.

How many federal disasters has Osceola County had?

Osceola County has been included in 37 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 21 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Milton in October 2024.

Is Osceola County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Moderate, 26th 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 Osceola County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 17 homes in Osceola 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 Osceola County had?

NOAA records list 43 tornadoes in Osceola County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on April 4, 1966. The weather service has also logged 92 hail reports and 21 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Osceola County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 31 hurricanes and 40 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Osceola County, including 2 major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was Hurricane Charley (2004), with winds near 115 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.