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Natural hazards · Tallahassee

Tallahassee, FL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Tallahassee comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 458 claims here since 1979. 17 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Tallahassee?

72
High
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Tallahassee to be higher than in 72% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding32%Hurricanes31%Cold waves17%Tornadoes14%Everything else6%
By hazard

What Tallahassee faces

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

Inland flooding

32% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 61% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

31% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Cold waves

17% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

14% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 69% of U.S. places

Lower here

HailWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

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 Tallahassee flood?

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

458paid claims since 1979
$7.4Mpaid to owners
49homes flooded more than once
19792026

Biggest named events

  • Tropical Storm Allison: 91 claims, $1.6M
  • Tropical Storm Fay: 29 claims, $810K
  • Tropical Storm Barry: 9 claims, $64K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (13) ■ flooded 2+ times

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

What’s been done with FEMA grants

99buildings retrofitted against wind
36flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
2homes raised above flood level
2storm safe rooms built
1buildings floodproofed
Disasters that hit Tallahassee

17 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into TallahasseeDeclared for Leon County only
2024

Hurricane Helene

4,755 households applied for aid $4.1M aid approved $3.7M to the City of Tallahassee for repairs
2024

Hurricane Debby

$126K to the City of Tallahassee for repairs
2024

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes

8,386 households applied for aid $9.7M aid approved $12.4M to the City of Tallahassee for repairs
2023

Hurricane Idalia

$3.1M to the City of Tallahassee for repairs
2022

Hurricane Ian

10 households applied for aid $1K aid approved $21K to the City of Tallahassee for repairs
2018

Hurricane Michael

6,971 households applied for aid $924K aid approved $26.4M to the City of Tallahassee for repairs
2017

Hurricane Irma

19 households applied for aid $969 aid approved $4.1M to the City of Tallahassee for repairs
2016

Hurricane Hermine

1,386 households applied for aid $498K aid approved $11.8M to the City of Tallahassee for repairs
2009

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

49 households applied for aid $109K aid approved $403K to the City of Tallahassee for repairs
2008

Tropical Storm Fay

563 households applied for aid $764K aid approved $6.5M to the City of Tallahassee for repairs
2005

Hurricane Dennis

3 households applied for aid $2K aid approved $600K to the City of Tallahassee for repairs
2004

Hurricane Jeanne

$232K to the City of Tallahassee for repairs
2004

Hurricane Ivan

239 households applied for aid $319K aid approved $629K to the City of Tallahassee for repairs
2004

Hurricane Frances

$641K to the City of Tallahassee for repairs
2004

Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane Charley

$6K to the City of Tallahassee for repairs
2001

Tropical Storm Allison

$1.1M to the City of Tallahassee for repairs
2000

Tropical Storm Helene

$3.5M to the City of Tallahassee for repairs
Leon County has had 29 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. Tallahassee covers 48 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Tallahassee’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Tallahassee. 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 Tallahassee total about $84.0M 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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