Natural hazards · Margate

Margate, FL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Margate comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 441 claims here since 1979. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Margate?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Margate to be higher than in 74% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding45%Hurricanes44%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Margate faces

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

Inland flooding

45% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

44% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailCold wavesHeat 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 Margate flood?

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

441paid claims since 1979

$1.3Mpaid to owners

14homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irene: 97 claims, $208K
Hurricane Wilma: 34 claims, $228K
Hurricane Frances: 23 claims, $77K

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

🏷️ 20% off flood insurance. Margate is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 6) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Broward County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1buildings retrofitted against wind

Disasters that hit Margate

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MargateDeclared for Broward County only

2024

Hurricane Milton

11 households applied for aid

2023

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

192 households applied for aid $142K aid approved

2019

Hurricane Dorian

$52K to the City of Margate for repairs

2017

Hurricane Irma

8,882 households applied for aid $2.6M aid approved $2.9M to the City of Margate for repairs

2005

Hurricane Wilma

8,786 households applied for aid $5.1M aid approved $8.7M to the City of Margate for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina

$158K to the City of Margate for repairs

2004

Hurricane Frances

428 households applied for aid $285K aid approved $695K to the City of Margate for repairs

1999

Fl-Hurricane Irene-Dr-Req

$62K to the City of Margate for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Emergency Declarations

$6K to the City of Margate for repairs

Broward County has had 34 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and freezes.

Around Margate

Margate and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

North Lauderdalemostly inland floodingHigh

Margatemostly inland floodingHigh

Coral Springsmostly hurricanesHigh

Coconut Creekmostly 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. Margate covers 14 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Margate’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Margate. 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 Margate total about $17.9M 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.