Natural hazards · Bonifay

Bonifay, FL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Bonifay comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 13 claims here since 1994. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Bonifay?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Bonifay to be higher than in 91% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes.

Hurricanes70%Inland flooding15%Tornadoes8%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Bonifay faces

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

Hurricanes

70% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Inland flooding

15% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 30% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 78% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 69 years in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Bonifay flood?

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

13paid claims since 1994

$234Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19942026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Sally: 3 claims, $99K
Tropical Storm Alberto: 2 claims, $21K
Hurricane Ivan: 1 claim, $30K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Bonifay isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Holmes County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

11flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

2buildings retrofitted against wind

Disasters that hit Bonifay

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BonifayDeclared for Holmes County only

2024

Hurricane Helene

$52K to the City of Bonifay for repairs

2018

Hurricane Michael

945 households applied for aid $409K aid approved $193K to the City of Bonifay for repairs

2013

Severe Storms and Flooding

$88K to the City of Bonifay for repairs

2009

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

44 households applied for aid $106K aid approved $70K to the City of Bonifay for repairs

2005

Hurricane Dennis

$57K to the City of Bonifay for repairs

2004

Hurricane Ivan

384 households applied for aid $627K aid approved $56K to the City of Bonifay for repairs

2001

Tropical Storm Allison

$110K to the City of Bonifay for repairs

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

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. Bonifay covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Bonifay’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Bonifay. 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 Bonifay total about $2.0M 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.