Natural hazards · Live Oak

Live Oak, FL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Live Oak comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 91 claims here since 1980. 12 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Live Oak?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Live Oak to be higher than in 82% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes58%Inland flooding26%Tornadoes5%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Live Oak 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 95% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Inland flooding

26% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 48% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Tornadoes

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 56% of U.S. places

Lower here

HailWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

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 Live Oak flood?

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

91paid claims since 1980

$2.2Mpaid to owners

9homes flooded more than once

19802026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Debby: 41 claims, $1.5M
Hurricane Debby: 19 claims, $465K
Hurricane Jeanne: 7 claims, $53K

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

Insurance rates: Suwannee County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2buildings retrofitted against wind

1storm safe rooms built

1homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Live Oak

12 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Live OakDeclared for Suwannee County only

2024

Hurricane Milton

10 households applied for aid

2024

Hurricane Helene

3,811 households applied for aid $7.9M aid approved $78K to the City of Live Oak for repairs

2024

Hurricane Debby

1,895 households applied for aid $4.2M aid approved $104K to the City of Live Oak for repairs

2023

Hurricane Idalia

7,083 households applied for aid $7.1M aid approved $508K to the City of Live Oak for repairs

2022

Hurricane Ian

3 households applied for aid

2017

Hurricane Irma

3,469 households applied for aid $1.1M aid approved $228K to the City of Live Oak for repairs

2016

Hurricane Hermine

$35K to the City of Live Oak for repairs

2012

Tropical Storm Debby

1,673 households applied for aid $4.7M aid approved $1.5M to the City of Live Oak for repairs

2009

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

85 households applied for aid $154K aid approved

2008

Tropical Storm Fay

$48K to the City of Live Oak for repairs

2004

Hurricane Jeanne

549 households applied for aid $681K aid approved $54K to the City of Live Oak for repairs

2004

Hurricane Frances

323 households applied for aid $418K aid approved $47K to the City of Live Oak for repairs

Suwannee County has had 30 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. Live Oak 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 Live Oak’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Live Oak. 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.