Natural hazards · Milton

Milton, FL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Milton comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 108 claims here since 1978. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Milton?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Milton to be higher than in 89% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes56%Inland flooding27%Tornadoes7%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Milton faces

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

Hurricanes

56% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Inland flooding

27% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 64% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

7% of expected damage

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

Lower here

Coastal floodingHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

DroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Milton flood?

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

108paid claims since 1978

$3.8Mpaid to owners

9homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Ivan: 42 claims, $2.7M
Hurricane Sally: 11 claims, $450K
Hurricane Opal: 4 claims, $121K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (4) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Santa Rosa County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

887buildings retrofitted against wind

7homes raised above flood level

4flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

1flood-prone homes bought out and moved

Disasters that hit Milton

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MiltonDeclared for Santa Rosa County only

2022

Hurricane Ian

3 households applied for aid

2020

Hurricane Sally

2,141 households applied for aid $2.4M aid approved $791K to the City of Milton for repairs

2017

Hurricane Irma

2 households applied for aid

2014

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

724 households applied for aid $1.3M aid approved $66K to the City of Milton for repairs

2012

Hurricane Isaac

$3K to the City of Milton for repairs

2009

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

45 households applied for aid $75K aid approved $33K to the City of Milton for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina

$70K to the City of Milton for repairs

2005

Hurricane Dennis

7,361 households applied for aid $4.7M aid approved $1.3M to the City of Milton for repairs

2004

Hurricane Ivan

13,308 households applied for aid $23.7M aid approved $1.8M to the City of Milton for repairs

2004

Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane Charley

2 households applied for aid

Santa Rosa County has had 36 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. Milton covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Milton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Milton. 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 Milton total about $4.7M 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.