Levy County, FL
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Levy County has experienced 44 federally declared disasters since 1972, most recently Cow Creek Fire in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Levy County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, lightning, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is elevated (76th 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. Levy County has been designated in 44 declarations since 1972, covering 9 disaster types including hurricane (21), severe storm (7), fire (5).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Fire | Cow Creek Fire |
| 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 |
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 | 87.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 51.3 | 1 | 0 | $10K |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 72.6 | 4 | 0 | $2.2M |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 33.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 53.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 58.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 91.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 5.7 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 35.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 69.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 90.6 | 2 | 1 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 40.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 16 | 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
Levy County ranks in the 76th 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 | 76th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 72nd | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 91st | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 56th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 52nd | Moderate |
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 | 82nd | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 86.7% | — |
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 Levy County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Levy 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 Levy County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Levy County has received 44 federal disaster declarations since 1972, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (21 declarations).
Has Levy County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Levy County include Cow Creek Fire (2026), 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 Levy County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Citrus County, FL has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Gilchrist County, FL has the lowest (Very Low). Levy County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Levy County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Levy 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. Levy County's composite score of 66 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 66% of US counties.