There’s much to love about Florida. The days are warm, and the sun is always shining; there are theme parks and fun activities to enjoy, and the people and culture are top-notch. However, like all other states, Florida also has some issues to consider, including the risk of a number of weather phenomena that can cause harm and property damage. Before you decide to move, we’d like you to know which areas have the most risk with this list of the most disaster-prone cities in Florida.
When you look at the data presented by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), you’ll see that many cities in The Sunshine State can pose risks. For instance, in Parkland, FL, there’s the potential for various disasters, including tornadoes, wildfires, hurricanes, and a chance of dangerous lightning. Then there’s Pompano Beach, FL, a tourist hotspot with many sights to see and things to do. But, go at the wrong time, and you could experience wildfires, tornadoes, hail, and the potential for an earthquake.
Other cities, such as Boynton Beach, Sunrise, and Boca Raton, also have their share of risks. Of course, disasters can happen anywhere, so you don’t necessarily need to avoid these places like the plague, but it’s good to be informed.
When disaster strikes, it’s okay to be afraid, which is why, in some cities, the potential for bad weather and other issues has caused population decline. For instance, between 2017 and 2022, Panama City, FL, experienced a 6.6% decline, and Wellington, FL, experienced a 2.3% decline. These are all facts to consider if you’re thinking about moving to Florida. These are not the only aspects that factor into your decision, but they’re important nonetheless. We just want you to make the best decision for you and your family. ( Also See 10 Pros and 10 Cons of Living in Florida )
To determine the most disaster-prone cities in Florida, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data on natural hazard risk for U.S. census tracts from the March 2023 FEMA National Risk Index dataset. Cities were ranked based on the average National Risk Index score – a composite risk score of 18 natural hazards: avalanche, coastal flooding, cold wave, drought, earthquake, hail, heat wave, hurricane, ice storm, landslide, lightning, riverine flooding, strong wind, tornado, tsunami, volcanic activity, wildfire, and winter weather – for all census tracts within their borders. Data were aggregated from the census tract level to the city level using spatial boundary definitions from the U.S. Census Bureau’s TIGER/Line program . Supplemental data on the total value of all owner-occupied homes and population are from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey . Only places with at least 25,000 residents were considered.
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- FEMA National Risk Index score: 91.6/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $3.9 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +4.0%
- Total population: 55,795
Source: felixmizioznikov / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 91.7/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $15.0 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +2.0%
- Total population: 152,764
Source: Felix Mizioznikov / Shutterstock.com
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 91.7/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $4.9 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: -3.0%
- Total population: 34,046
Source: felixmizioznikov / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 91.7/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $6.8 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +7.5%
- Total population: 80,068
Source: Felix Mizioznikov / Shutterstock.com
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 91.8/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $4.4 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: -2.7%
- Total population: 57,574
Source: felixmizioznikov / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 91.8/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $16.9 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +2.4%
- Total population: 170,472
Source: Vito Palmisano / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 91.9/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $10.6 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +4.0%
- Total population: 53,945
Source: Chris Graythen / Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 92.3/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $3.7 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +13.9%
- Total population: 38,829
Source: SevenMaps / Shutterstock.com
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 92.3/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $3.8 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: -1.3%
- Total population: 30,621
Source: typhoonski / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 92.4/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $2.2 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +0.6%
- Total population: 31,700
Source: Art Wager / E+ via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 92.4/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $9.2 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +4.0%
- Total population: 111,790
Source: Bkamprath / E+ via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 92.4/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $4.8 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: -5.7%
- Total population: 34,300
Source: jared422 / Flickr
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 92.5/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $0.9 million
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +2.1%
- Total population: 25,471
Source: Felix Mizioznikov / Shutterstock.com
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 92.5/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $3.4 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: -0.1%
- Total population: 44,056
Source: Yanjipy / Wikimedia Commons
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 92.6/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $7.2 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +4.6%
- Total population: 96,510
Source: SevenMaps / Shutterstock.com
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 92.7/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $2.4 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +9.6%
- Total population: 43,651
Source: ablokhin / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 92.7/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $12.2 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: -0.9%
- Total population: 135,158
Source: 6381380 / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 92.8/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $2.0 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: NA
- Total population: 42,188
Source: Roccoad / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 92.9/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $5.7 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +33.1%
- Total population: 74,891
Source: traiansum / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 93.2/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $12.8 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +2.8%
- Total population: 133,801
Source: VisionsbyAtlee / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 93.3/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $3.0 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +10.5%
- Total population: 37,668
Source: DeborahMaxemow / E+ via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 93.4/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $6.5 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +28.8%
- Total population: 68,814
Source: SevenMaps / Shutterstock.com
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 93.4/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $1.5 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: -3.2%
- Total population: 32,447
Source: Paola Giannoni / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 93.4/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $25.4 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +4.3%
- Total population: 97,980
Source: benedek / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 93.9/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $3.3 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +8.0%
- Total population: 48,595
Source: Leonard Zhukovsky / Shutterstock.com
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 94.0/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $3.7 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +3.2%
- Total population: 38,874
Source: colin_kai / Shutterstock.com
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 94.1/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $7.3 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: NA
- Total population: 34,346
Source: Ebyabe / Wikimedia Commons
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 94.2/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $0.6 million
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +8.0%
- Total population: 27,753
Source: Jesse Kunerth / Shutterstock.com
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 94.2/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $8.1 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +12.7%
- Total population: 121,513
Source: felixmizioznikov / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 94.2/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $12.0 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +4.2%
- Total population: 105,821
Source: Christopher Contrabasso / Shutterstock.com
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 94.5/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $4.0 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +13.5%
- Total population: 40,843
Source: Greta H / Shutterstock.com
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 94.6/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $1.1 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +8.4%
- Total population: 29,243
Source: Serenethos / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 94.6/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $10.3 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: -2.5%
- Total population: 68,029
Source: felixmizioznikov / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 94.9/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $6.9 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +8.8%
- Total population: 86,455
Source: SevenMaps / Shutterstock.com
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 95.0/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $3.0 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +42.3%
- Total population: 25,179
Source: MG_Photos / Shutterstock.com
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 95.1/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $9.4 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: -2.3%
- Total population: 61,373
Source: lisatop / Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 95.1/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $4.8 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +5.8%
- Total population: 25,957
Source: Tamara528 / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 95.1/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $2.5 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +5.6%
- Total population: 25,266
Source: Crystal Bolin Photography / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 95.3/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $2.9 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +24.7%
- Total population: 29,965
Source: SevenMaps / Shutterstock.com
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 95.3/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $1.7 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +12.5%
- Total population: 26,272
Source: Ryan Tishken / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 95.6/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $19.9 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +17.8%
- Total population: 210,520
Source: DynamicDepths / Shutterstock.com
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 95.9/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $6.0 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +131.0%
- Total population: 58,595
Source: Blairdesignsinc / Shutterstock.com
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 96.0/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $2.6 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +4.9%
- Total population: 27,808
Source: SevenMaps / Shutterstock.com
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 96.1/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $2.5 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +28.9%
- Total population: 26,762
Source: JimVallee / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 96.2/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $6.2 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +6.7%
- Total population: 84,982
Source: WanderDrone / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 96.8/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $1.7 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +18.4%
- Total population: 27,427
Source: RobHainer / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 97.1/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $2.2 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: -6.6%
- Total population: 34,254
Source: Ultima_Gaina / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 97.6/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $4.8 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +3.0%
- Total population: 26,078
Source: Richard Wood / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 98.0/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $1.9 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +6.6%
- Total population: 47,153
Source: BERT BERT / flickr
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 99.3/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $8.1 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +20.5%
- Total population: 34,832
The post The Most Disaster-Prone Cities in Florida appeared first on 24/7 Tempo .
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