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Natural hazards · Lake Wales

Lake Wales, FL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Lake Wales comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 5 claims here since 2004. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Lake Wales?

64
High
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Lake Wales to be higher than in 64% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes48%Inland flooding31%Strong wind13%Everything else9%
By hazard

What Lake Wales faces

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

Hurricanes

48% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 91% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Inland flooding

31% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 28% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Strong wind

13% of expected damage
Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingIce 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 Lake Wales flood?

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

5paid claims since 2004
$334Kpaid to owners
1homes flooded more than once
20042026

Biggest named events

  • Hurricane Frances: 1 claim, $17K
  • Hurricane Helene: 1 claim, $250K
  • Hurricane Ian: 1 claim, $49K

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. Lake Wales isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Polk County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

6buildings retrofitted against wind
2flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
Disasters that hit Lake Wales

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Lake WalesDeclared for Polk County only
2024

Hurricane Milton

4,244 households applied for aid $2.8M aid approved $207K to the City of Lake Wales for repairs
2022

Hurricane Ian

3,357 households applied for aid $2.6M aid approved $279K to the City of Lake Wales for repairs
2017

Hurricane Irma

7,424 households applied for aid $3.2M aid approved $426K to the City of Lake Wales for repairs
2012

Tropical Storm Debby

8 households applied for aid
2008

Tropical Storm Fay

12 households applied for aid $15K aid approved $16K to the City of Lake Wales for repairs
2005

Hurricane Wilma

$24K to the City of Lake Wales for repairs
2004

Hurricane Jeanne

2,843 households applied for aid $5.7M aid approved $129K to the City of Lake Wales for repairs
2004

Hurricane Ivan

61 households applied for aid $24K aid approved
2004

Hurricane Frances

1,648 households applied for aid $2.5M aid approved $66K to the City of Lake Wales for repairs
2004

Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane Charley

7,931 households applied for aid $8.9M aid approved $544K to the City of Lake Wales for repairs
Polk County has had 34 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and fires.
Around Lake Wales

Lake Wales and the towns around it

Waverly: High, mostly hurricanesDundee: Moderate, mostly hurricanesWinter Haven: High, mostly hurricanesHighland Park: High, mostly hurricanesLake Hamilton: High, mostly hurricanesCypress Gardens: High, mostly hurricanesInwood: High, mostly hurricanesLake Alfred: High, mostly hurricanesAlturas: High, mostly hurricanesAuburndale: High, mostly hurricanesJan Phyl Village: High, mostly hurricanesEagle Lake: Moderate, mostly hurricanesWahneta: High, mostly hurricanesLake Wales: High, mostly hurricanes Lake WalesWaverlyDundeeWinter HavenHighland Park
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Highland Parkmostly hurricanesHigh
Waverlymostly hurricanesHigh
Lake Walesmostly hurricanesHigh
Winter Havenmostly hurricanesHigh
Dundeemostly hurricanesModerate
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. Lake Wales covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Lake Wales’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Lake Wales. 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 Lake Wales total about $1.6M 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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