Decatur County, Georgia: hazard risk
FEMA rates Decatur County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 75.9 of 100, higher than 75% of rated U.S. counties); 1 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by lightning. Its storm record holds 363 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning | Relatively High | 87.0 | $654K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 90.5 | $5.4M |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 80.8 | $2.7M |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 77.0 | $11M |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 74.2 | $1.7M |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 73.8 | $416K |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 64.0 | $73K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 49.2 | $231K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 44.3 | $136K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 35.2 | $227K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 40.4 | $101K |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 23.3 | $14K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 19.9 | $74 |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 6.7 | $2K |
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 | 214 | 0 | $1.6M | 106th of 159 | 1007th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 45 | 0 | – | 112th of 159 | 546th of 3,063 |
| Tornadoes | 28 | 0 | $19M | 63rd of 159 | 945th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 26 | 0 | – | 151st of 159 | 2597th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 16 | 0 | $47M | 108th of 159 | 2178th of 3,080 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 15 | 0 | $943M | 124th of 159 | 266th of 1,849 |
| Heat | 5 | 0 | – | 130th of 159 | 1592nd of 3,076 |
| Heavy rain | 4 | 0 | – | 113th of 159 | 1336th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 3 | 0 | $9.5M | 134th of 159 | 2279th of 3,076 |
| Lightning | 2 | 1 | – | 136th of 159 | 1542nd of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 2 | 0 | – | 158th of 159 | 3008th of 3,077 |
| High wind and dust storms | 1 | 0 | $6K | 141st of 159 | 2901st 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 Decatur County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.