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Natural hazards · Vero Beach

Vero Beach, FL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Vero Beach comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 704 claims here since 1979. 14 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Vero Beach?

97
Very high
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Vero Beach to be higher than in 97% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes.

Hurricanes84%Inland flooding12%Everything else4%
By hazard

What Vero Beach faces

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

Hurricanes

84% of expected damage
Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Inland flooding

12% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 38% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Ice stormsWinter weatherAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Vero Beach flood?

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

704paid claims since 1979
$33.0Mpaid to owners
96homes flooded more than once
19792026

Biggest named events

  • Hurricane Frances: 349 claims, $20.5M
  • Hurricane Jeanne: 193 claims, $5.9M
  • Hurricane Irma: 18 claims, $1.6M

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 2 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (6) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
🏷️ 20% off flood insurance. Vero Beach is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 6) for its flood-proofing work.
Insurance rates: Indian River County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

8buildings retrofitted against wind
1homes raised above flood level
Disasters that hit Vero Beach

14 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Vero BeachDeclared for Indian River County only
2024

Hurricane Milton

6,163 households applied for aid $5.5M aid approved $94K to the City of Vero Beach for repairs
2022

Hurricane Nicole

$740K to the City of Vero Beach for repairs
2022

Hurricane Ian

3 households applied for aid $224K to the City of Vero Beach for repairs
2019

Hurricane Dorian

$140K to the City of Vero Beach for repairs
2017

Hurricane Irma

8,822 households applied for aid $3.4M aid approved $2.9M to the City of Vero Beach for repairs
2016

Hurricane Matthew

498 households applied for aid $168K aid approved $2.7M to the City of Vero Beach for repairs
2008

Tropical Storm Fay

$42K to the City of Vero Beach for repairs
2005

Hurricane Wilma

785 households applied for aid $608K aid approved $596K to the City of Vero Beach for repairs
2004

Hurricane Jeanne

15,933 households applied for aid $18.5M aid approved $7.7M to the City of Vero Beach for repairs
2004

Hurricane Ivan

156 households applied for aid $24K aid approved
2004

Hurricane Frances

16,826 households applied for aid $14.4M aid approved $7.2M to the City of Vero Beach for repairs
2004

Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane Charley

86 households applied for aid $52K aid approved
1999

Fl-Hurricane Irene-Dr-Req

$374K to the City of Vero Beach for repairs
1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$79K to the City of Vero Beach for repairs
Indian River County has had 27 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and fires.
Around Vero Beach

Vero Beach and the towns around it

Vero Beach South: Very high, mostly hurricanesSouth Beach: Very high, mostly hurricanesIndian River Shores: Very high, mostly hurricanesGifford: Very high, mostly hurricanesFlorida Ridge: Very high, mostly hurricanesWest Vero Corridor: Very high, mostly hurricanesWabasso Beach: Very high, mostly hurricanesVero Beach: Very high, mostly hurricanes Vero BeachVero Beach SouthSouth BeachIndian River ShoresGifford
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Vero Beach Southmostly hurricanesVery high
Vero Beachmostly hurricanesVery high
South Beachmostly hurricanesVery high
Giffordmostly hurricanesVery high
Indian River Shoresmostly 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. Vero Beach covers 7 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Vero Beach’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Vero Beach. 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 Vero Beach total about $18.7M 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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