Hardee County, Florida: hazard risk
FEMA rates Hardee County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 69.2 of 100, higher than 69% of rated U.S. counties); 1 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by strong wind. Its storm record holds 253 events since 1950.
FEMA's rating for each hazard
These are FEMA's county-wide model ratings and this county's storm record. They are not an assessment of any property, address or building, and not insurance advice: a property's risk depends on its own elevation, construction and location.
FEMA gives each hazard its own rating, and a rating does not follow the score from one hazard to the next: a hazard with a higher score can carry a lower rating than another. The table sorts by FEMA's rating, then by score (0 to 100, the county against every other county for that hazard).
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Wind | Very High | 99.3 | $10M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 91.4 | $8.8M |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 71.5 | $475K |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 82.9 | $505K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 62.7 | $299K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 58.9 | $1.2M |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 42.5 | $860K |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 34.3 | $154K |
| Hail | Very Low | 31.3 | $115K |
| Riverine Flooding | Very Low | 26.4 | $2.8M |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 11.2 | $10K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 6.2 | $10 |
| Coastal Flooding | No Rating | 0.0 | $0 |
| Winter Weather | No Rating | 0.0 | $0 |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. A model of future loss, not a count of past events. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
What the record holds
| Hazard | Records | Deaths | Damage | Rank in state | Rank in U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 56 | 0 | $1.3M | 57th of 67 | 2373rd of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 43 | 0 | $16M | 6th of 67 | 310th of 3,076 |
| Floods | 29 | 0 | $7.6M | 36th of 67 | 1893rd of 3,080 |
| Hail | 29 | 0 | $5K | 52nd of 67 | 2584th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 24 | 0 | $2.6M | 49th of 67 | 1250th of 3,080 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 17 | 4 | $78M | 41st of 67 | 249th of 1,849 |
| Lightning | 6 | 0 | $141K | 43rd of 67 | 881st of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 5 | 0 | – | 45th of 67 | 1033rd of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 5 | 0 | $406M | 15th of 67 | 2482nd of 3,080 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Hardee County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.