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St. Johns County, Florida

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

Relatively Moderate overall risk
36th of 67highest risk in Florida
$97Mexpected losses a year
32federal declarations
1 in 4homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

St. Johns County, Florida has a moderate overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 88% of US counties. It ranks 36th of 67 counties in Florida. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, hurricanes and coastal flooding. FEMA estimates about $97 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $355 per resident. Since 1968 it has been included in 32 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (20 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2024 (Hurricane Milton). About 1 in 4 homes here carry federal flood insurance (22,491 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $252 million on 7,639 claims here, including $148 million for floods in 2016.

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

Top risks in St. Johns County

$51.5 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 2 times a year.
  • 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.
$22.5 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.
$7.8 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 3 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 floodingModerate89.4
$51M
HurricaneHigh93.7
$23M
Coastal floodingHigh89.0
$8M
TornadoModerate85.4
$8M
Heat waveModerate82.2
$2M
LightningHigh92.2
$2M
WildfireModerate89.4
$2M
Strong windLow39.2
$574K
EarthquakeVery Low56.6
$552K
Cold waveVery Low18.7
$288K
DroughtLow34.1
$53K
HailVery Low7.5
$30K
LandslideVery Low19.5
$156

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 very low and community resilience is very high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Hurricane21
Tropical Storm4
Severe Storm3
Freezing2
Fire1
Coastal Storm1

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 32
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
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
Sep 28, 2001Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding Associated With Tropical Storm GabrielleMajor disaster
Feb 5, 2001Severe FreezeMajor disaster
Sep 22, 1999Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster DeclarationsMajor disaster
Sep 14, 1999Hurricane Floyd Emergency DeclarationsEmergency
Jun 18, 1998Extreme Fire HazardMajor disaster
Jan 6, 1998Severe Storms, High Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 31, 1977Severe Winter WeatherMajor disaster
Nov 7, 1968Hurricane GladysMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1950

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 753 storm reports in St. Johns County since 1950, with 16 deaths and 34 injuries and about $45.8 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on April 15, 1958.

66tornadoes
121hail reports, largest 3 inches
343damaging thunderstorm winds
53floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 15, 1958F3–9 / 0
Feb 7, 1971F3–0 / 0
Apr 24, 1995F2Palatka5 / 0
Apr 4, 1973F2–0 / 0
Mar 18, 1975F2–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
May 4, 2013FloodPalm Vly$38M
Apr 24, 1995TornadoPalatka$1M
Mar 18, 2022Thunderstorm WindSt Augustine Beach$1M
Sep 14, 2001Flash FloodCountywide$900K
Jun 26, 2004LightningPonte Vedra$750K
May 4, 2013TornadoElkton$500K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 20, 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, 23 hurricanes and 46 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of St. Johns County, 26 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1898, with top winds near 130 mph about 65 miles away.

23hurricanes
5major hurricanes (Category 3+)
46tropical storms
2020most recent: Eta

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 2, 1898UnnamedCategory 4, 130 mph65 mi
Sep 8, 1854UnnamedCategory 3, 125 mph64 mi
Oct 12, 1893UnnamedCategory 3, 120 mph63 mi
Oct 7, 2016MatthewCategory 3, 115 mph59 mi
Aug 27, 1893UnnamedCategory 3, 115 mph61 mi
Sep 10, 1964DoraCategory 2, 110 mph6 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Nov 12, 2020EtaTropical storm, 45 mph54 mi
Oct 7, 2016MatthewCategory 3, 115 mph59 mi
Sep 13, 2016JuliaTropical storm, 50 mph63 mi
May 27, 2012BerylTropical storm, 70 mph56 mi
Aug 21, 2008FayTropical storm, 65 mph47 mi
Oct 5, 2005TammyTropical storm, 50 mph40 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 St. Johns County

Check your address flood zone ›
23.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (22,491 policies)
342.3%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$252 millionpaid on 7,639 flood claims since 1978
2016costliest year, with $148 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 St. Johns County

$489,200median home value (Florida $359,000, US $332,700)
2004median year homes were built (Florida 1988, US 1980)
14%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
4.8%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; 133,504 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
Clay CountyModerate37
Flagler CountyModerate36
Putnam CountyLow39

Common questions about St. Johns County

What is the biggest natural hazard in St. Johns County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in St. Johns County, about $51.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hurricane is second at $22.5 million.

How many federal disasters has St. Johns County had?

St. Johns County has been included in 32 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1968, including 20 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Milton in October 2024.

Is St. Johns County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Moderate, 36th 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 St. Johns County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 4 homes in St. Johns 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 St. Johns County had?

NOAA records list 66 tornadoes in St. Johns County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on April 15, 1958. The weather service has also logged 121 hail reports and 53 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit St. Johns County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 23 hurricanes and 46 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of St. Johns 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.