Wakulla County, FL
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Wakulla County has experienced 45 federally declared disasters since 1972, most recently Tropical Storm Debby in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Wakulla County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, hurricane, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 127% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Wakulla County has been designated in 45 declarations since 1972, covering 8 disaster types including hurricane (23), severe storm (8), tropical storm (5).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Helene |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Debby |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 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 |
| 2022 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Ian |
Showing the 10 most recent of 45 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 | 84.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 33.6 | 6 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 61.2 | 7 | 0 | $100.9M |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 23.7 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 46.9 | 8 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 50.9 | 10 | 0 | $180K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 84.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 4.7 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 21 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 7.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 80.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 63.1 | 1 | 0 | $2K |
| Drought | Very Low | 13.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 7.6 | 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
Wakulla County ranks in the 31st percentile (Low) 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 | 31st | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 32nd | Low |
| Household characteristics | 4th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 56th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 65th | 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 | 89th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 88th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 82.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 36 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 11 in 2016–20 vs 25 in 2021–25 (+127% — 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 Wakulla County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Wakulla County, Florida are wildfire, hurricane, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Wakulla County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Wakulla County has received 45 federal disaster declarations since 1972, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (23 declarations).
Has Wakulla County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Wakulla County include Tropical Storm Helene (2024), Tropical Storm Debby (2024), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024), Hurricane Debby (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1972.
How does Wakulla County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Leon County, FL has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Liberty County, FL has the lowest (Very Low). Wakulla County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Wakulla County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Wakulla 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. Wakulla County's composite score of 47 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 47% of US counties.