Gulf County, FL
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Gulf County has experienced 47 federally declared disasters since 1975, most recently Tropical Storm Debby in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Gulf County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, lightning, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 46 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is elevated (71st 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. Gulf County has been designated in 47 declarations since 1975, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (26), severe storm (7), tropical storm (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Idalia |
| 2023 | Hurricane | Hurricane Nicole |
| 2023 | Hurricane | Hurricane Idalia |
| 2022 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Ian |
| 2022 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ian |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Fred |
Showing the 10 most recent of 47 total declarations since 1975.
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 | 74.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 25.2 | 19 | 0 | $100K |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 61.6 | 3 | 1 | $101.0M |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 19.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 39 | 11 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 38.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively High | 93.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 3.3 | 12 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 11.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 6.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 36 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 75.4 | 1 | 1 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 13.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 12.5 | 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
Gulf County ranks in the 71st 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 | 71st | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 61st | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 63rd | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 57th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 79th | 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 | 88th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 87th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 54.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 46 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 9 in 2016–20 vs 37 in 2021–25 .
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 Gulf County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Gulf County, Florida are hurricane, lightning, and wildfire. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Gulf County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Gulf County has received 47 federal disaster declarations since 1975, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (26 declarations).
Has Gulf County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Gulf County include Tropical Storm Helene (2024), Tropical Storm Debby (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024), Hurricane Debby (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1975.
How does Gulf County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Bay County, FL has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Liberty County, FL has the lowest (Very Low). Gulf County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Gulf County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Gulf 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. Gulf County's composite score of 60 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 60% of US counties.