Natural hazards · Okeechobee

Okeechobee, FL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Okeechobee comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 7 claims here since 2004. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Okeechobee?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Okeechobee to be higher than in 92% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding64%Hurricanes26%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Okeechobee faces

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

Inland flooding

64% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Hurricanes

26% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingIce 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 Okeechobee flood?

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

7paid claims since 2004

$137Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

20042026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irma: 2 claims, $56K
Hurricane Isaac: 2 claims, $38K
Hurricane Frances: 1 claim, $25K

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

Insurance rates: Okeechobee County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

6buildings retrofitted against wind

Disasters that hit Okeechobee

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into OkeechobeeDeclared for Okeechobee County only

2024

Hurricane Milton

1,547 households applied for aid $2.0M aid approved

2022

Hurricane Ian

1,982 households applied for aid $1.9M aid approved

2017

Hurricane Irma

5,497 households applied for aid $2.4M aid approved $71K to the City of Okeechobee for repairs

2008

Tropical Storm Fay

506 households applied for aid $341K aid approved $14K to the City of Okeechobee for repairs

2005

Hurricane Wilma

2,042 households applied for aid $2.1M aid approved $77K to the City of Okeechobee for repairs

2004

Hurricane Jeanne

5,982 households applied for aid $12.3M aid approved $58K to the City of Okeechobee for repairs

2004

Hurricane Ivan

106 households applied for aid $28K aid approved

2004

Hurricane Frances

5,385 households applied for aid $6.1M aid approved $180K to the City of Okeechobee for repairs

2004

Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane Charley

107 households applied for aid $70K aid approved $5K to the City of Okeechobee for repairs

Okeechobee 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. Okeechobee covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Okeechobee’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Okeechobee. 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 Okeechobee total about $3.1M 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.