Natural hazards · Stuart

Stuart, FL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Stuart comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 86 claims here since 1979. 13 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Stuart?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Stuart to be higher than in 89% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes.

Hurricanes86%Inland flooding9%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Stuart faces

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

Hurricanes

86% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Inland flooding

9% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 5% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years 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 Stuart flood?

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

86paid claims since 1979

$1.8Mpaid to owners

10homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Jeanne: 19 claims, $362K
Hurricane Frances: 12 claims, $540K
Tropical Storm Fay: 3 claims, $16K

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

Insurance rates: Martin County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

38buildings retrofitted against wind

19homes raised above flood level

1storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Stuart

13 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into StuartDeclared for Martin County only

2024

Hurricane Milton

1,878 households applied for aid $1.6M aid approved

2022

Hurricane Ian

1 household applied for aid

2019

Hurricane Dorian

$56K to the City of Stuart for repairs

2017

Hurricane Irma

3,866 households applied for aid $1.1M aid approved $464K to the City of Stuart for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

$279K to the City of Stuart for repairs

2008

Tropical Storm Fay

86 households applied for aid $41K aid approved $3K to the City of Stuart for repairs

2005

Hurricane Wilma

2,531 households applied for aid $1.5M aid approved $1.0M to the City of Stuart for repairs

2004

Hurricane Jeanne

7,053 households applied for aid $8.4M aid approved $1.7M to the City of Stuart for repairs

2004

Hurricane Ivan

101 households applied for aid $19K aid approved

2004

Hurricane Frances

7,702 households applied for aid $6.9M aid approved $1.6M to the City of Stuart for repairs

2004

Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane Charley

$5K to the City of Stuart for repairs

1999

Fl-Hurricane Irene-Dr-Req

$53K to the City of Stuart for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$41K to the City of Stuart for repairs

Martin County has had 32 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and fires.

Around Stuart

Stuart and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Palm Citymostly hurricanesVery high

North River Shoresmostly hurricanesVery high

Jensen Beachmostly hurricanesVery high

Riomostly hurricanesVery high

Stuartmostly 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. Stuart covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Stuart’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Stuart. 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 Stuart total about $7.2M 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.