Natural hazards · Orange Beach

Orange Beach, AL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Orange Beach comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1,665 claims here since 1995. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Orange Beach?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Orange Beach to be higher than in 97% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes60%Inland flooding31%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Orange Beach faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Hurricanes

60% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Inland flooding

31% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

DroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Orange Beach flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Orange Beach, from FEMA’s records.

1,665paid claims since 1995

$159Mpaid to owners

164homes flooded more than once

19952026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Ivan: 711 claims, $115M
Hurricane Sally: 521 claims, $29.0M
Mid-spring storms: 127 claims, $4.8M

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 3 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (34) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 20% off flood insurance. Orange Beach is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 6) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Baldwin County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

5homes raised above flood level

2buildings retrofitted against wind

1storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Orange Beach

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Orange Beach itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the City of Orange Beach.

Brought FEMA money into Orange BeachDeclared for Baldwin County only

2020

Hurricane Sally

1,750 households applied for aid $1.8M aid approved $17.5M to the City of Orange Beach for repairs

2017

Hurricane Nate

$2.4M to the City of Orange Beach for repairs

2014

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

189 households applied for aid $326K aid approved $193K to the City of Orange Beach for repairs

2012

Hurricane Isaac

$817K to the City of Orange Beach for repairs

2009

Tropical Storm Ida

$841K to the City of Orange Beach for repairs

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding Associated With Hurricane Ike

$1.2M to the City of Orange Beach for repairs

2008

Hurricane Gustav

$1.3M to the City of Orange Beach for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina

130 households applied for aid $162K aid approved $5.3M to the City of Orange Beach for repairs

2005

Hurricane Dennis

57 households applied for aid $15K aid approved $148K to the City of Orange Beach for repairs

2004

Hurricane Ivan

2,411 households applied for aid $2.9M aid approved $7.4M to the City of Orange Beach for repairs

2002

Tropical Storm Isidore

$153K to the City of Orange Beach for repairs

Baldwin County has had 31 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Orange Beach

Orange Beach and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Orange Beachmostly hurricanesVery high

Gulf Shoresmostly hurricanesVery high

Foleymostly hurricanesVery high

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Orange Beach covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Orange Beach’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Orange Beach. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Orange Beach total about $10.1M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.