Natural hazards · Starke

Starke, FL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Starke comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 22 claims here since 1980. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Starke?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Starke to be higher than in 75% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes51%Inland flooding26%Tornadoes8%Lightning6%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Starke faces

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

Hurricanes

51% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Inland flooding

26% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 35% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Tornadoes

8% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 59% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 92 years in the area

Lightning

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places

Lower here

HailWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingIce stormsAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Starke flood?

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

22paid claims since 1980

$854Kpaid to owners

3homes flooded more than once

19802026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irma: 7 claims, $644K
Tropical Storm Debby: 4 claims, $68K
Hurricane Debby: 1 claim, $33K

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

Insurance rates: Bradford County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

4buildings retrofitted against wind

2homes raised above flood level

1storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Starke

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into StarkeDeclared for Bradford County only

2024

Hurricane Milton

10 households applied for aid

2024

Hurricane Helene

617 households applied for aid $1.4M aid approved

2022

Hurricane Ian

$38K to the City of Starke for repairs

2017

Hurricane Irma

2,359 households applied for aid $1.9M aid approved $449K to the City of Starke for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

$50K to the City of Starke for repairs

2012

Tropical Storm Debby

467 households applied for aid $616K aid approved $28K to the City of Starke for repairs

2008

Tropical Storm Fay

180 households applied for aid $24K aid approved $53K to the City of Starke for repairs

2004

Hurricane Jeanne

916 households applied for aid $1.5M aid approved $96K to the City of Starke for repairs

2004

Hurricane Frances

805 households applied for aid $1.4M aid approved $49K to the City of Starke for repairs

2004

Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane Charley

1 household applied for aid $4K to the City of Starke for repairs

Bradford 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. Starke 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 Starke’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Starke. 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.

Starke, FL natural hazards

How exposed is Starke?

What Starke faces

Hurricanes

Inland flooding

Tornadoes

Lightning

Lower here

Not a risk here

Does Starke flood?

Biggest named events

Homes that flooded again and again

What’s been done with FEMA grants

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Hurricane Milton

Hurricane Helene

Hurricane Ian

Hurricane Irma

Hurricane Matthew

Tropical Storm Debby

Tropical Storm Fay

Hurricane Jeanne

Hurricane Frances

Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane Charley

How to read this page

Where to, neighbor?

Matches

Nearby