St. Lucie County, FL
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
St. Lucie County has experienced 38 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Hurricane Milton in 2025. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
St. Lucie County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, lightning, and strong wind, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 69% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (79th 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. St. Lucie County has been designated in 38 declarations since 1965, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (24), fire (4), freezing (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Hurricane | Hurricane Milton |
| 2025 | Hurricane | Hurricane Milton |
| 2023 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Nicole |
| 2023 | Hurricane | Hurricane Nicole |
| 2022 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Ian |
| 2022 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ian |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isaias |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
Showing the 10 most recent of 38 total declarations since 1965.
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 | 86.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 89.3 | 7 | 0 | $30.1M |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 65.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 39.5 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 80.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 82.8 | 12 | 6 | $497.7M |
| Hurricane | Very High | 99.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 29.1 | 24 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 90 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 26.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very High | 98.2 | 1 | 1 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 64.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 14.2 | 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
St. Lucie County ranks in the 79th 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 | 79th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 81st | High |
| Household characteristics | 87th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 85th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 38th | Low |
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 | 86th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 83rd | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 33.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 43 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 16 in 2016–20 vs 27 in 2021–25 (+69% — 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 St. Lucie County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in St. Lucie County, Florida are hurricane, lightning, and strong wind. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has St. Lucie County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. St. Lucie County has received 38 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2025. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (24 declarations).
Has St. Lucie County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for St. Lucie County include Hurricane Milton (2025), Hurricane Milton (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does St. Lucie County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Palm Beach County, FL has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Glades County, FL has the lowest (Relatively Low). St. Lucie County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is St. Lucie County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
St. Lucie 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. St. Lucie County's composite score of 96 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 96% of US counties.