Natural hazards · Miami Gardens

Miami Gardens, FL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Miami Gardens comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 144 claims here since 1998. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Miami Gardens?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Miami Gardens to be higher than in 72% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes43%Inland flooding40%Heat waves5%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Miami Gardens faces

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

Hurricanes

43% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Inland flooding

40% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 61% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Heat waves

5% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 27% 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 Miami Gardens flood?

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

144paid claims since 1998

$2.6Mpaid to owners

28homes flooded more than once

19982026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irma: 48 claims, $916K
Hurricane Eta: 33 claims, $726K
Hurricane Irene: 14 claims, $38K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (2) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 15% off flood insurance. Miami Gardens 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

7buildings retrofitted against wind

Disasters that hit Miami Gardens

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Miami GardensDeclared for Dade County only

2024

Hurricane Milton

18 households applied for aid $77K to the City of Miami Gardens for repairs

2022

Hurricane Ian

2 households applied for aid

2017

Hurricane Irma

28,739 households applied for aid $12.5M aid approved $524K to the City of Miami Gardens for repairs

2008

Tropical Storm Fay

$9K to the City of Miami Gardens for repairs

2005

Hurricane Wilma

88 households applied for aid $64K aid approved $5.5M to the City of Miami Gardens for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina

$182K to the City of Miami Gardens for repairs

2004

Hurricane Frances

2 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

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

Around Miami Gardens

Miami Gardens and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Miami Gardensmostly hurricanesHigh

Ives Estatesmostly hurricanesHigh

Miramarmostly hurricanesHigh

West Parkmostly hurricanesHigh

North Miami Beachmostly hurricanesHigh

Opa-lockamostly hurricanesHigh

Biscayne Gardensmostly 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. Miami Gardens covers 28 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Miami Gardens’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Miami Gardens. 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 Miami Gardens total about $24.3M 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.