Highlands County, Florida Natural Disaster Risk
FEMA National Risk Index assessment · FL
MediumComposite Risk Score
National percentile: 89th
Highlands County faces medium composite natural disaster risk (NRI Risk Index score 89.4, 89th national percentile), driven primarily by strong wind and hurricane exposure. Expected annual loss across all 18 hazard types is $47M.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 · Updated December 2025
Risk Overview
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Highlands County at medium composite risk, with a National Risk Index score of 89.4 out of 100 — placing it in the 89th national percentile and near the national midpoint for natural-disaster risk. The score blends Expected Annual Loss, Social Vulnerability, and Community Resilience across all 18 FEMA hazard types.
Most of Highlands County's expected losses come from strong wind (damaging straight-line winds outside of tornadoes and hurricanes) at Very High risk — $13M in expected annual loss and about 0.57 events per year; hurricane (tropical cyclones bringing extreme wind, rain, and storm surge) at High risk — $16M in expected annual loss and about 0.27 events per year; and lightning (electrical discharges from storms that ignite fires and cause casualties) at High risk — $1M in expected annual loss and about 97.00 events per year. Across all hazards, FEMA estimates $47M in expected annual loss for a population of 101K.
Beyond physical exposure, Highlands County has a very high social vulnerability rating (how susceptible the population is to harm) and a very low community resilience rating (its capacity to prepare for and recover from disasters). That combination — a more vulnerable population with limited resilience — can amplify the human cost of any given event.
The federal record bears this out: Highlands County has received 37 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including 19 for hurricane events and 5 for fire events. The most recent was Hurricane Milton (hurricane), declared in October 2024.
Among 67 Florida counties, Highlands County ranks #31 for overall natural disaster risk.
Top Hazards
All 18 Hazard Risks
| Strong Wind | Very High | 0.57 / yr | $13M |
| Hurricane | High | 0.27 / yr | $16M |
| Lightning | High | 97.00 / yr | $1M |
| Wildfire | Medium | 0.01 / yr | $1M |
| Tornado | Medium | 0.88 / yr | $3M |
| Riverine Flood | Medium | 0.46 / yr | $11M |
| Cold Wave | Medium | 3.68 / yr | $2M |
| Drought | Medium | 19.10 / yr | $365K |
| Heat Wave | Low | 3.21 / yr | $596K |
| Hail | Low | 1.34 / yr | $110K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 0.11 / yr | $194 |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $36K |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Coastal Flood | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Tsunami | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
Disaster History
Highlands County has received 37 federal disaster declarations since 1977, most recently Hurricane Milton in October 2024. Most frequent causes: Hurricane (19), Fire (5), Severe Storm (4).
| Declared | Type | Disaster |
|---|---|---|
| October 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Milton |
| October 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Milton |
| August 2024 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Debby |
| August 2024 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Debby |
| December 2022 | Hurricane | Hurricane Nicole |
| November 2022 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Nicole |
| September 2022 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ian |
| September 2022 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Ian |
| March 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
Showing the 10 most recent of 37 declarations.
Source: FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (OpenFEMA).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the overall natural disaster risk for Highlands County?
Highlands County has a composite FEMA National Risk Index score of 89.4 out of 100, placing it in the Medium category and the 89th national percentile. This combines Expected Annual Loss, Social Vulnerability, and Community Resilience across 18 hazard types.
What are the top natural hazards in Highlands County?
The three highest-rated hazards are Strong Wind (Very High, $13M EAL), Hurricane (High, $16M EAL), Lightning (High, $1M EAL). These account for most of the county's expected annual losses.
How does Highlands County compare to other Florida counties?
Highlands County ranks #31 of 67 Florida counties for overall natural disaster risk, with a medium rating.
How many federally declared disasters has Highlands County had?
FEMA records 37 federal disaster declarations for Highlands County since 1977, most often 19 for hurricane events and 5 for fire events. The most recent was Hurricane Milton, declared in October 2024.
What does Expected Annual Loss (EAL) mean?
EAL is FEMA's estimate of average annual dollar losses from natural hazards, calculated from historical event data and exposure models. Highlands County's $47M EAL is a statistical average, not a guarantee for any specific year or address.