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Natural hazards · Delray Beach

Delray Beach, FL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Delray Beach comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 337 claims here since 1978. 14 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Delray Beach?

67
High
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Delray Beach to be higher than in 67% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes58%Inland flooding33%Everything else10%
By hazard

What Delray Beach faces

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

Hurricanes

58% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Inland flooding

33% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 29% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Ice stormsWinter weatherDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Delray Beach flood?

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

337paid claims since 1978
$2.6Mpaid to owners
3homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • Hurricane Irene: 43 claims, $359K
  • Hurricane Frances: 16 claims, $120K
  • Tropical Storm Mitch: 11 claims, $184K

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
🏷️ 20% off flood insurance. Delray Beach is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 6) for its flood-proofing work.
Insurance rates: Palm Beach County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

3buildings retrofitted against wind
Disasters that hit Delray Beach

14 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Delray BeachDeclared for Palm Beach County only
2024

Hurricane Milton

393 households applied for aid $30K aid approved
2022

Hurricane Nicole

$137K to the City of Delray Beach for repairs
2022

Hurricane Ian

1,756 households applied for aid $453K aid approved
2020

Hurricane Isaias

$90K to the City of Delray Beach for repairs
2019

Hurricane Dorian

$371K to the City of Delray Beach for repairs
2017

Hurricane Irma

11,432 households applied for aid $3.9M aid approved $4.5M to the City of Delray Beach for repairs
2016

Hurricane Matthew

$279K to the City of Delray Beach for repairs
2012

Hurricane Isaac

$25K to the City of Delray Beach for repairs
2005

Hurricane Wilma

10,601 households applied for aid $4.8M aid approved $8.5M to the City of Delray Beach for repairs
2004

Hurricane Jeanne

1,707 households applied for aid $1.5M aid approved $299K to the City of Delray Beach for repairs
2004

Hurricane Ivan

53 households applied for aid $2K aid approved
2004

Hurricane Frances

3,003 households applied for aid $2.1M aid approved $3.0M to the City of Delray Beach for repairs
1999

Fl-Hurricane Irene-Dr-Req

$403K to the City of Delray Beach for repairs
1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$18K to the City of Delray Beach for repairs
Palm Beach County has had 31 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and freezes.
Around Delray Beach

Delray Beach and the towns around it

Gulf Stream: High, mostly hurricanesBoca Raton: High, mostly hurricanesBoynton Beach: High, mostly hurricanesHighland Beach: Very high, mostly hurricanesDeerfield Beach: High, mostly hurricanesHypoluxo: High, mostly hurricanesOcean Ridge: High, mostly hurricanesSan Castle: High, mostly hurricanesManalapan: High, mostly hurricanesGolf: High, mostly hurricanesDelray Beach: High, mostly hurricanes Delray BeachGulf StreamBoca RatonBoynton BeachHighland Beach
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Highland Beachmostly hurricanesVery high
Boca Ratonmostly hurricanesHigh
Gulf Streammostly hurricanesHigh
Delray Beachmostly hurricanesHigh
Boynton Beachmostly hurricanesHigh
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. Delray Beach covers 18 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Delray Beach’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Delray 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 Delray Beach total about $22.2M 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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01
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