Natural hazards · Freeport

Freeport, FL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Freeport comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 8 claims here since 1998. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Freeport?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Freeport to be higher than in 92% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes57%Inland flooding25%Tornadoes7%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Freeport faces

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

Hurricanes

57% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Inland flooding

25% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 69% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 68% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 9 years in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Freeport flood?

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

8paid claims since 1998

$389Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19982026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Ivan: 5 claims, $207K
Hurricane Georges (Panhandle): 2 claims, $32K
Hurricane Frances: 1 claim, $150K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Walton County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

2homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Freeport

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into FreeportDeclared for Walton County only

2022

Hurricane Ian

1 household applied for aid

2020

Hurricane Sally

159 households applied for aid $119K aid approved

2014

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

72 households applied for aid $103K aid approved

2009

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

2 households applied for aid $8K to the City of Freeport for repairs

2005

Hurricane Dennis

73 households applied for aid $36K aid approved

2004

Hurricane Ivan

330 households applied for aid $718K aid approved $12K to the City of Freeport for repairs

Walton County has had 34 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. Freeport is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

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

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.