Cottondale, FL
Cottondale, FL's wildfire risk, in USFS's own numbers
Out of every US place USFS scores, Cottondale lands at the 67th percentile for wildfire risk to structures — well above the national norm for wildfire risk — a figure built from its 594 buildings, not the land around them. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Cottondale's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 69th percentile nationally.
Cottondale's building exposure, zone by zone
69.4% of Cottondale's 594 buildings sit in USFS's Direct exposure zone, roughly 412 structures close enough to burnable vegetation for flame contact, not just embers — 30.6% fall in the Indirect, ember-only zone and 0% are Minimal.
Where Cottondale ranks
Cottondale's 67th national percentile looks worse in isolation than its 23rd ranking inside Florida does — this place is on the milder end for its own state, by 44 points. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Cottondale ranks 10,485 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 15,904 by building count (1 is largest). Within Florida alone, it ranks 739 of 955 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Florida on its state page.
What this risk score means for insurance
Cottondale's high rating (67th percentile) puts it among the places where the national carrier-pullback trend is most relevant — not a guarantee of a coverage problem, but a reason to shop rather than assume.
What would actually reduce this score
Because Direct exposure dominates in Cottondale (69.4%), the highest-leverage fix is defensible space, not roofing or vents alone — covered in the home-hardening guide.
Where Cottondale's figures come from
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 594 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Cottondale. The exposure-zones guide covers what Cottondale's dominant direct exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.