Okeechobee County, Florida Natural Disaster Risk
FEMA National Risk Index assessment · FL
LowComposite Risk Score
National percentile: 80th
Okeechobee County faces low composite natural disaster risk (NRI Risk Index score 80.3, 80th national percentile), driven primarily by hurricane and strong wind exposure. Expected annual loss across all 18 hazard types is $27M.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 · Updated December 2025
Risk Overview
Okeechobee County carries a low composite natural disaster risk, with a National Risk Index score of 80.3 out of 100 — placing it in the 80th national percentile and below the national average for natural-disaster risk. The score blends Expected Annual Loss, Social Vulnerability, and Community Resilience across all 18 FEMA hazard types.
Risk here concentrates in hurricane (tropical cyclones bringing extreme wind, rain, and storm surge) at High risk — $10M in expected annual loss and about 0.30 events per year; strong wind (damaging straight-line winds outside of tornadoes and hurricanes) at High risk — $1M in expected annual loss and about 0.64 events per year; and wildfire (uncontrolled fires that spread across wildland and into communities) at Medium risk — $855K in expected annual loss and about 0.01 events per year. Across all hazards, FEMA estimates $27M in expected annual loss for a population of 39K.
Beyond physical exposure, Okeechobee 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.
History supports the rating: Okeechobee County has received 35 federal disaster declarations since 1972, including 18 for hurricane events and 5 for fire events. The most recent was Hurricane Milton (hurricane), declared in October 2024.
Among 67 Florida counties, Okeechobee County ranks #40 for overall natural disaster risk.
Top Hazards
All 18 Hazard Risks
| Hurricane | High | 0.30 / yr | $10M |
| Strong Wind | High | 0.64 / yr | $1M |
| Wildfire | Medium | 0.01 / yr | $855K |
| Lightning | High | 93.96 / yr | $727K |
| Riverine Flood | Medium | 0.21 / yr | $12M |
| Cold Wave | Low | 2.74 / yr | $772K |
| Drought | Low | 22.71 / yr | $82K |
| Heat Wave | Low | 2.68 / yr | $195K |
| Tornado | Low | 0.59 / yr | $638K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 0.08 / yr | $102 |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $23K |
| Hail | Very Low | 1.27 / yr | $26K |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Coastal Flood | Very Low | 0.01 / 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
Okeechobee County has received 35 federal disaster declarations since 1972, most recently Hurricane Milton in October 2024. Most frequent causes: Hurricane (18), Fire (5), Tropical Storm (3).
| 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 |
| August 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isaias |
| March 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
Showing the 10 most recent of 35 declarations.
Source: FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (OpenFEMA).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the overall natural disaster risk for Okeechobee County?
Okeechobee County has a composite FEMA National Risk Index score of 80.3 out of 100, placing it in the Low category and the 80th national percentile. This combines Expected Annual Loss, Social Vulnerability, and Community Resilience across 18 hazard types.
What are the top natural hazards in Okeechobee County?
The three highest-rated hazards are Hurricane (High, $10M EAL), Strong Wind (High, $1M EAL), Wildfire (Medium, $855K EAL). These account for most of the county's expected annual losses.
How does Okeechobee County compare to other Florida counties?
Okeechobee County ranks #40 of 67 Florida counties for overall natural disaster risk, with a low rating.
How many federally declared disasters has Okeechobee County had?
FEMA records 35 federal disaster declarations for Okeechobee County since 1972, most often 18 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. Okeechobee County's $27M EAL is a statistical average, not a guarantee for any specific year or address.