Natural hazards · Hialeah

Hialeah, FL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Hialeah comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1,779 claims here since 1986. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Hialeah?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Hialeah to be higher than in 69% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes45%Inland flooding39%Heat waves5%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Hialeah faces

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

Hurricanes

45% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 93% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Inland flooding

39% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 53% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Heat waves

5% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 28% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailCold wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Ice stormsWinter weatherAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Hialeah flood?

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

1,779paid claims since 1986

$26.1Mpaid to owners

228homes flooded more than once

19862026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irene: 572 claims, $6.4M
Hurricane Eta: 50 claims, $1.4M
Hurricane Wilma: 26 claims, $338K

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 4 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (12) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 15% off flood insurance. Hialeah is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 7) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Dade County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

63buildings retrofitted against wind

Disasters that hit Hialeah

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into HialeahDeclared for Dade County only

2024

Hurricane Milton

33 households applied for aid

2022

Hurricane Ian

8 households applied for aid $13K to the City of Hialeah for repairs

2017

Hurricane Irma

71,366 households applied for aid $23.9M aid approved $6.7M to the City of Hialeah for repairs

2008

Tropical Storm Fay

$8K to the City of Hialeah for repairs

2005

Hurricane Wilma

22,503 households applied for aid $9.9M aid approved $8.4M to the City of Hialeah for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina

$1.9M to the City of Hialeah for repairs

2004

Hurricane Frances

458 households applied for aid $447K aid approved $319K to the City of Hialeah for repairs

2004

Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane Charley

1 household applied for aid

2003

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

52 households applied for aid $46K aid approved

2000

Severe Storms and Flooding

$519K to the City of Hialeah for repairs

1999

Fl-Hurricane Irene-Dr-Req

$809K to the City of Hialeah for repairs

Dade County has had 35 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Hialeah

Hialeah and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

West Little Rivermostly inland floodingHigh

Miami Springsmostly inland floodingHigh

Westviewmostly hurricanesHigh

Hialeahmostly hurricanesHigh

Hialeah Gardensmostly hurricanesHigh

Miami Lakesmostly hurricanesHigh

Opa-lockamostly hurricanesHigh

Brownsvillemostly 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. Hialeah covers 57 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Hialeah’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Hialeah. 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 Hialeah total about $50.5M 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.