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Natural hazards · Sarasota

Sarasota, FL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Sarasota comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1,545 claims here since 1978. 15 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Sarasota?

85
Very high
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Sarasota to be higher than in 85% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes72%Inland flooding19%Everything else10%
By hazard

What Sarasota faces

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

Hurricanes

72% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Inland flooding

19% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 34% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Ice stormsWinter weatherDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Sarasota flood?

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

1,545paid claims since 1978
$154Mpaid to owners
231homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • Hurricane Helene: 647 claims, $123M
  • Hurricane Milton: 178 claims, $7.8M
  • Hurricane Elena: 70 claims, $707K

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 4 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (30) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
🏷️ 25% off flood insurance. Sarasota is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 5) for its flood-proofing work.
Insurance rates: Sarasota County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

42buildings retrofitted against wind
20homes raised above flood level
2storm safe rooms built
2flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
1buildings floodproofed
Disasters that hit Sarasota

15 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SarasotaDeclared for Sarasota County only
2024

Hurricane Milton

36,782 households applied for aid $31.5M aid approved $10.5M to the City of Sarasota for repairs
2024

Hurricane Helene

8,124 households applied for aid $19.0M aid approved $686K to the City of Sarasota for repairs
2024

Hurricane Debby

5,300 households applied for aid $13.8M aid approved $694K to the City of Sarasota for repairs
2023

Hurricane Idalia

741 households applied for aid $485K aid approved $193K to the City of Sarasota for repairs
2022

Hurricane Ian

18,705 households applied for aid $11.8M aid approved $5.0M to the City of Sarasota for repairs
2017

Hurricane Irma

19,386 households applied for aid $6.7M aid approved $3.1M to the City of Sarasota for repairs
2016

Hurricane Hermine

22 households applied for aid $105K aid approved $204K to the City of Sarasota for repairs
2012

Tropical Storm Debby

244 households applied for aid $163K aid approved $2.0M to the City of Sarasota for repairs
2008

Tropical Storm Fay

$31K to the City of Sarasota for repairs
2005

Hurricane Wilma

1 household applied for aid $137K to the City of Sarasota for repairs
2004

Hurricane Jeanne

1,037 households applied for aid $1.5M aid approved $6.5M to the City of Sarasota for repairs
2004

Hurricane Ivan

5 households applied for aid $989 to the City of Sarasota for repairs
2004

Hurricane Frances

506 households applied for aid $744K aid approved $412K to the City of Sarasota for repairs
2004

Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane Charley

396 households applied for aid $554K aid approved $83K to the City of Sarasota for repairs
2001

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding Associated With Tropical Storm Gabrielle

$694K to the City of Sarasota for repairs
Sarasota County has had 41 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.
Around Sarasota

Sarasota and the towns around it

North Sarasota: Very high, mostly hurricanesSouth Sarasota: Very high, mostly hurricanesSouthgate: Very high, mostly hurricanesSiesta Key: Very high, mostly hurricanesFruitville: Very high, mostly hurricanesRidge Wood Heights: Very high, mostly hurricanesSarasota Springs: Very high, mostly hurricanesThe Meadows: Very high, mostly hurricanesSarasota: Very high, mostly hurricanes SarasotaNorth SarasotaSouth SarasotaSouthgateSiesta KeyFruitville
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Siesta Keymostly hurricanesVery high
Southgatemostly hurricanesVery high
South Sarasotamostly hurricanesVery high
Fruitvillemostly hurricanesVery high
Sarasotamostly hurricanesVery high
North Sarasotamostly hurricanesVery high
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. Sarasota covers 16 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Sarasota’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Sarasota. 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 Sarasota total about $34.4M 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.

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