Dixie County, FL
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Dixie County has experienced 44 federally declared disasters since 1972, most recently Hurricane Milton in 2025. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Dixie County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, coastal flooding, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 40% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (77th percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Dixie County has been designated in 44 declarations since 1972, covering 9 disaster types including hurricane (22), severe storm (8), tropical storm (5).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Hurricane | Hurricane Milton |
| 2025 | Hurricane | Hurricane Milton |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Helene |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Debby |
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Debby |
| 2023 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Nicole |
| 2023 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Idalia |
| 2023 | Hurricane | Hurricane Nicole |
| 2023 | Hurricane | Hurricane Idalia |
Showing the 10 most recent of 44 total declarations since 1972.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 72.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 28.8 | 11 | 0 | $10.1M |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 73.6 | 6 | 0 | $112.5M |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 23.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 36.5 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 26.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 87.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 2.6 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 8.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 1.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 19.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 57.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 21.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Insufficient Data | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Dixie County ranks in the 77th percentile (High) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 77th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 77th | High |
| Household characteristics | 49th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 47th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 89th | High |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 82nd | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 83rd | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 78.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 24 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 10 in 2016–20 vs 14 in 2021–25 (+40% — frequency increasing).
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Dixie County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Dixie County, Florida are hurricane, coastal flooding, and wildfire. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Dixie County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Dixie County has received 44 federal disaster declarations since 1972, including declarations in 2025. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (22 declarations).
Has Dixie County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Dixie County include Hurricane Milton (2025), Hurricane Milton (2025), Tropical Storm Helene (2024), Tropical Storm Debby (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024), Hurricane Debby (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1972.
How does Dixie County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Alachua County, FL has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Lafayette County, FL has the lowest (Very Low). Dixie County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Dixie County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Dixie County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Dixie County's composite score of 36 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 36% of US counties.