Natural hazards · Sopchoppy

Sopchoppy, FL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Sopchoppy comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 2008. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Sopchoppy?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Sopchoppy to be higher than in 84% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes26%Inland flooding22%Cold waves18%Coastal flooding17%Tornadoes7%Wildfire6%Everything else5%

By hazard

What Sopchoppy faces

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

Hurricanes

26% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Inland flooding

22% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 52% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Cold waves

18% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Coastal flooding

17% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Tornadoes

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 60% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 22 years in the area

Wildfire

6% of expected damage

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

Lower here

HailWinter weatherHeat wavesEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Ice stormsDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Sopchoppy flood?

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

1paid claims since 2008

$464paid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20082026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Fay: 1 claim, $464

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Sopchoppy isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Wakulla County.

Disasters that hit Sopchoppy

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SopchoppyDeclared for Wakulla County only

2024

Hurricane Helene

97 households applied for aid $131K aid approved

2018

Hurricane Michael

91 households applied for aid $69K aid approved

2016

Hurricane Hermine

4 households applied for aid

2012

Tropical Storm Debby

152 households applied for aid $347K aid approved

2009

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

7 households applied for aid $27K aid approved

2008

Tropical Storm Fay

3 households applied for aid $19K aid approved

2005

Hurricane Dennis

38 households applied for aid $19K aid approved

2004

Hurricane Ivan

1 household applied for aid

2000

Tropical Storm Helene

$150K to the City of Sopchoppy for repairs

Wakulla County has had 38 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. Sopchoppy 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 Sopchoppy’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Sopchoppy. 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.