Taylor County, Florida
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Taylor County, Florida has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 65% of US counties. It ranks 49th of 67 counties in Florida. The costliest hazards here are hurricanes, inland flooding and coastal flooding. FEMA estimates about $16 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $747 per resident. Since 1993 it has been included in 39 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (24 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2026 (Hurricane Isaias). About 1 in 14 homes here carry federal flood insurance (669 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $37 million on 693 claims here, including $24 million for floods in 2024.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Taylor 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.
- 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | 92.7 | $8M | ||
| Inland flooding | 46.8 | $4M | ||
| Coastal flooding | 76.6 | $1M | ||
| Cold wave | 57.7 | $834K | ||
| Tornado | 37.2 | $493K | ||
| Lightning | 75.0 | $392K | ||
| Wildfire | 81.4 | $306K | ||
| Heat wave | 53.1 | $284K | ||
| Strong wind | 38.6 | $260K | ||
| Earthquake | 37.1 | $83K | ||
| Winter weather | 11.4 | $6K | ||
| Hail | 2.2 | $2K | ||
| Drought | 15.8 | $576 | ||
| Landslide | 13.0 | $30 |
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 high 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 Taylor 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 237 storm reports in Taylor County since 1956, with 0 deaths and 15 injuries and about $8.8 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF2 tornado on March 7, 2008 near Jack Lee Island.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 7, 2008 | EF2 | Jack Lee Island | 2 / 0 |
| Sep 24, 1956 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 27, 1972 | F2 | – | 1 / 0 |
| Sep 30, 1957 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 28, 2003 | F1 | Perry | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 3, 2021 | Flood | Clara | $5M |
| Aug 14, 1998 | Lightning | Perry | $750K |
| Aug 16, 2019 | Flood | Steinhatchee | $513K |
| Mar 7, 2008 | Tornado | Jack Lee Island | $500K |
| Sep 24, 1956 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Oct 27, 1972 | Tornado | – | $250K |
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 1852, 18 hurricanes and 47 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Taylor County, 26 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Helene (2024), with top winds near 140 mph about 64 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 2024 | Helene | Category 4, 140 mph | 64 mi |
| Aug 30, 2023 | Idalia | Category 3, 130 mph | 56 mi |
| Sep 29, 1896 | Unnamed | Category 3, 125 mph | 62 mi |
| Oct 11, 1888 | Unnamed | Category 2, 110 mph | 64 mi |
| Oct 9, 1852 | Unnamed | Category 2, 105 mph | 59 mi |
| Sep 4, 1935 | Unnamed | Category 2, 100 mph | 62 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 2024 | Helene | Category 4, 140 mph | 64 mi |
| Aug 5, 2024 | Debby | Category 1, 80 mph | 62 mi |
| Aug 30, 2023 | Idalia | Category 3, 130 mph | 56 mi |
| Nov 10, 2022 | Nicole | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 51 mi |
| Sep 9, 2021 | Mindy | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 63 mi |
| Jul 7, 2021 | Elsa | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 60 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 Taylor 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 Taylor 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; 11,259 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Madison County | 32 | |
| Dixie County | 43 | |
| Jefferson County | 39 | |
| Lafayette County | 34 |
Common questions about Taylor County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Taylor County?
Hurricane has the highest expected yearly losses in Taylor County, about $8.4 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $3.9 million.
How many federal disasters has Taylor County had?
Taylor County has been included in 39 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1993, including 24 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Isaias in October 2026.
Is Taylor County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 49th 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 Taylor County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 14 homes in Taylor 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 Taylor County had?
NOAA records list 24 tornadoes in Taylor County since 1950. The strongest was an EF2 tornado on March 7, 2008 near Jack Lee Island. The weather service has also logged 22 hail reports and 23 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Taylor County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 18 hurricanes and 47 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Taylor County, including 3 major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was Hurricane Helene (2024), with winds near 140 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.