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Natural hazards · Polk

Polk, FL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Polk comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Polk?

71
High
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Polk to be higher than in 71% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes40%Inland flooding25%Strong wind11%Wildfire8%Everything else16%
By hazard

What Polk faces

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

Hurricanes

40% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Inland flooding

25% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 33% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Strong wind

11% of expected damage
Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Wildfire

8% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Lower here

TornadoesHailCold wavesHeat wavesEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Polk flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Polk.

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Polk isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Polk County.
Disasters that hit Polk

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into PolkDeclared for Polk County only
2024

Hurricane Milton

1,058 households applied for aid $1.3M aid approved $98K to the Town of Polk for repairs
2023

Hurricane Idalia

$11K to the Town of Polk for repairs
2022

Hurricane Ian

793 households applied for aid $621K aid approved $79K to the Town of Polk for repairs
2017

Hurricane Irma

1,975 households applied for aid $1.1M aid approved $65K to the Town of Polk for repairs
2012

Tropical Storm Debby

2 households applied for aid
2004

Hurricane Jeanne

874 households applied for aid $1.2M aid approved $22K to the Town of Polk for repairs
2004

Hurricane Ivan

12 households applied for aid
2004

Hurricane Frances

298 households applied for aid $409K aid approved $3K to the Town of Polk for repairs
2004

Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane Charley

219 households applied for aid $225K aid approved $29K to the Town of Polk for repairs
Polk County has had 34 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and fires.
Around Polk

Polk and the towns around it

Auburndale: High, mostly hurricanesLakeland: High, mostly hurricanesInwood: High, mostly hurricanesFussels Corner: High, mostly hurricanesWinter Haven: High, mostly hurricanesLake Alfred: High, mostly hurricanesCrystal Lake: Moderate, mostly hurricanesCombee Settlement: High, mostly hurricanesPlant City: High, mostly hurricanesLakeland Highlands: High, mostly hurricanesPolk City: High, mostly hurricanes Polk CityAuburndaleLakeland
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Polk Citymostly hurricanesHigh
Auburndalemostly hurricanesHigh
Lakelandmostly 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. Polk 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 Polk’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Polk. 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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01
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