Fayette County, Georgia: hazard risk
FEMA rates Fayette County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 61.3 of 100, higher than 61% of rated U.S. counties); 1 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by lightning. Its storm record holds 520 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 | 86.7 | $1.5M |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 80.7 | $6.0M |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 77.9 | $1.1M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 65.9 | $257K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 54.8 | $910K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 73.1 | $1.4M |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 70.6 | $19M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 58.8 | $268K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 56.9 | $738K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 42.9 | $126K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 34.2 | $26K |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 20.1 | $323K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 18.9 | $152 |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 13.9 | $16K |
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 | 215 | 0 | $4.8M | 5th of 159 | 18th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 94 | 0 | $19M | 4th of 159 | 27th of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 50 | 1 | $9.4M | 1st of 159 | 2nd of 3,080 |
| Drought | 36 | 0 | $4.9M | 17th of 159 | 51st of 3,063 |
| Winter storms | 26 | 0 | $2.2M | 29th of 159 | 1118th of 3,077 |
| Floods | 24 | 1 | $3.5M | 7th of 159 | 635th of 3,080 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 16 | 0 | $120K | 19th of 159 | 34th of 1,849 |
| Extreme cold | 14 | 0 | – | 16th of 159 | 279th of 3,076 |
| Tornadoes | 12 | 0 | $15M | 25th of 159 | 414th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 11 | 0 | – | 18th of 159 | 470th of 3,076 |
| High wind and dust storms | 11 | 0 | $1.2M | 21st of 159 | 757th of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 7 | 0 | $379K | 4th of 159 | 245th 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 Fayette County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.