10 Florida Towns That Are Proving To Be Hurricane-Proof

Living in Florida means sun-kissed beaches and warm weather year-round, but it also means the persistent threat of hurricanes. Many towns in the Sunshine State have stepped up to the plate in terms of making their communities strong and resilient during storm season.

With the right mix of building codes, smart design, and preparation, these cities are showing that you can stand tall in the face of unrelenting storms. A smart homeowner money move would be to live in one of these towns, where you can expect that your house will be standing after harsh weather.

Here are 10 hurricane-resistant Florida towns.

Dubbed "America's first solar-powered town", Babcock Ranch became one of the first cities in Florida to harness the sun's energy for power.

With a focus on putting power lines underground, creating hurricane-resistant buildings, and architecting the landscape to reduce flood potential, Babcock Ranch was able to escape Hurricane Ian with little damage. This success has made them the poster child for the rest of Florida and other towns when it comes to creating infrastructure that can withstand natural disasters.

The Gulf Coast is typically in the path of many major storms, so Naples has upped its game. With strict building codes, coastal defense barriers, and new buildings constructed with the latest technologies, the city fared well against the ravages of Hurricane Ian. 


After the city was ravaged by Hurricane Charley in 2004, Punta Gorda vowed to change things. With some of the most stringent wind-load codes in Florida, the city is now a model for the rest of the state to follow when it comes to building hurricane-resistant architecture and infrastructure.

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The city has made a concentrated effort to upgrade its emergency response and drainage systems. In addition, new home construction has to meet every tough standard.

Beyond that, Sarasota is investing in long-term storm resilience via the Resilient SRQ Program, which will see over $200 million in grant-supported projects to help build new infrastructure.

This Atlantic coast town is vulnerable to hurricanes, so Palm Coast has made extensive upgrades to combat this ever-present threat.

The city has built out over 58 miles of freshwater canals and 23 miles of saltwater canals to help protect against flooding and regulate water levels. Beyond that, the town has committed to upholding Florida's new building codes so that new developments are hardened for hurricane season.

The neighborhood of Hunters Point in Cortez was specifically constructed to withstand hurricanes, and clearly, it's working. The new community had no trouble handling the fury of Hurricane Helene.

Each home has been built to withstand heavy wind and rain, with steel roofing, hurricane-resistant windows, and the entire town is elevated 16 feet above the flood zone.

After the town was devastated by Hurricane Dora in 1964, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers helped install a massive reinforced granite revetment to shield the beach from erosion and storm surges.

The revetment was rebuilt recently, with restoration finishing in 2025. Additionally, the Old Highway 1A was rebuilt and fortified against hurricanes.

Located on higher ground around the Lake Wales ridge, this city has been relatively robust in mitigating storm damage.

Additionally, the town has focused on flood-resistant development for new housing and enforcing Florida's strict storm protocols for construction sites, where unsecured debris can go flying everywhere.

The masterplanned community of Alys Beach was the first in the country to require that all homes meet the criteria of the Fortified for Safer Living program. This national accreditation is one of the most rigorous in the country, and Alys Beach passed it with flying colors.

The community was constructed with walls and roofs that exceed any Florida code requirements, and each house has an advanced anchoring system to root it to the ground.

After facing one too many brutal hurricane seasons, Cedar Key has begun building resilient infrastructure. From building a living breakwater and installing shoreline revetment on the main stretch of beach by downtown Dock Street to mandating that all new construction adhere to the new community development plan, the city will avoid repeating past mistakes.

Florida has no shortage of hurricane threats, and that won't be changing any time soon. If moving to a state with no income tax and sunny beaches is something you want, one of the 10 cities on this list would be a good starting point. 

Know that your home insurance might not cover everything related to hurricane damage, and your premiums will be sky-high in Florida to begin with. That means finding a town to live in that's resilient and can withstand flooding and gale-force winds is critical. 

The state of Florida knows this, too, which is why insurance companies are required to offer premium discounts to houses that have hurricane-mitigation features under the "Premium Discounts for Hurricane Loss Mitigation" program.