Natural hazards · Lawtey

Lawtey, FL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Lawtey comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 4 claims here since 2017. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Lawtey?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Lawtey to be higher than in 81% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes41%Inland flooding29%Tornadoes10%Lightning8%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Lawtey faces

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

Hurricanes

41% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Inland flooding

29% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 62% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Tornadoes

10% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 59% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 26 years in the area

Lightning

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places

Lower here

HailWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingIce stormsAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Lawtey flood?

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

4paid claims since 2017

$180Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

20172026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irma: 2 claims, $21K

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. Lawtey isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Bradford County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1buildings retrofitted against wind

Disasters that hit Lawtey

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into LawteyDeclared for Bradford County only

2024

Hurricane Helene

132 households applied for aid $370K aid approved

2017

Hurricane Irma

541 households applied for aid $643K aid approved

2012

Tropical Storm Debby

65 households applied for aid $66K aid approved $51K to the City of Lawtey for repairs

2008

Tropical Storm Fay

45 households applied for aid $5K aid approved $5K to the City of Lawtey for repairs

2004

Hurricane Jeanne

213 households applied for aid $382K aid approved

2004

Hurricane Frances

125 households applied for aid $183K aid approved $22K to the City of Lawtey for repairs

Bradford County has had 27 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and fires.

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. Lawtey 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 Lawtey’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Lawtey. 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.