Natural hazards · University

University, FL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in University comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 87 claims here since 1979. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is University?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in University to be higher than in 59% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and tornadoes.

Hurricanes34%Tornadoes22%Inland flooding21%Cold waves15%Everything else7%

By hazard

What University faces

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

Hurricanes

34% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 91% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Tornadoes

22% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 71% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

21% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 28% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

15% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingHailHeat 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 University flood?

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

87paid claims since 1979

$22.5Mpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Milton: 80 claims, $21.9M
Hurricane Elena: 1 claim, $1K
Hurricane Helene: 1 claim, $580K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Hillsborough County.

Disasters that hit University

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into UniversityDeclared for Hillsborough County only

2017

Hurricane Irma

2 households applied for aid $500 aid approved

Hillsborough County has had 41 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around University

University and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Lutzmostly hurricanesHigh

Tampamostly hurricanesHigh

Lake Magdalenemostly hurricanesHigh

Universitymostly hurricanesModerate

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. University covers 13 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to University’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to University. 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 University total about $10.8M 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.