Gilchrist County, FL
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Gilchrist County has experienced 37 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Hurricane Milton in 2025. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Gilchrist County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, wildfire, and lightning, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is elevated (73rd 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. Gilchrist County has been designated in 37 declarations since 1973, covering 8 disaster types including hurricane (18), tropical storm (5), severe 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 37 total declarations since 1973.
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 | 77.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 31.4 | 2 | 0 | $10 |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | 25.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 27.2 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 37.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 31 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 84.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 11.2 | 3 | 0 | $500 |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 15.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 2.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 34.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 59 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 31.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 6.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Gilchrist County ranks in the 73rd percentile (Moderate) 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 | 73rd | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 46th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 90th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 37th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 91st | 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 | 70th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 70th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 92.2% | — |
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 Gilchrist County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Gilchrist County, Florida are hurricane, wildfire, and lightning. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Gilchrist County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Gilchrist County has received 37 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2025. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (18 declarations).
Has Gilchrist County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Gilchrist 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 1973.
How does Gilchrist 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 Union County, FL has the lowest (Very Low). Gilchrist County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Gilchrist County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Gilchrist 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. Gilchrist County's composite score of 28 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 28% of US counties.