Effingham County, Georgia: hazard risk
FEMA rates Effingham County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 59.1 of 100, higher than 59% of rated U.S. counties). Its storm record holds 588 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 90.7 | $11M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 76.6 | $1.5M |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 74.2 | $1.3M |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 72.3 | $254K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 51.8 | $8.5M |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 50.9 | $291K |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 46.9 | $1.3M |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 45.4 | $124K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 39.8 | $791K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 38.3 | $59K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 34.1 | $170K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 20.9 | $230K |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | 24.8 | $2K |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 23.9 | $26K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 15.7 | $84 |
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 | 362 | 1 | $1.1M | 48th of 159 | 369th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 117 | 0 | $1.5M | 51st of 159 | 903rd of 3,080 |
| Drought | 23 | 0 | – | 133rd of 159 | 985th of 3,063 |
| Lightning | 19 | 0 | $170K | 33rd of 159 | 211th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 15 | 1 | $14M | 107th of 159 | 1607th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 11 | 0 | $95K | 123rd of 159 | 2318th of 3,080 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 11 | 0 | $3K | 128th of 159 | 286th of 1,849 |
| Winter storms | 10 | 0 | $20K | 112th of 159 | 2744th of 3,077 |
| High wind and dust storms | 8 | 0 | $8K | 92nd of 159 | 2318th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 5 | 0 | – | 121st of 159 | 1450th of 3,076 |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 0 | – | 138th of 159 | 2383rd of 3,076 |
| Wildfires | 2 | 0 | $344K | 28th of 159 | 573rd of 2,972 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 0 | – | 139th of 159 | 1900th 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 Effingham County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.