Paulding County, Georgia: hazard risk
FEMA rates Paulding County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 70.0 of 100, higher than 69% of rated U.S. counties); 1 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by lightning. Its storm record holds 490 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 | 84.9 | $1.3M |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 88.9 | $9.2M |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 76.5 | $4.1M |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 73.9 | $21M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 64.0 | $222K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 72.6 | $870K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 67.1 | $945K |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 65.3 | $169K |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 64.5 | $5K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 58.5 | $754K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 36.8 | $68K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 35.5 | $491K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 52.6 | $128K |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 20.0 | $24K |
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 | 226 | 0 | $1.9M | 41st of 159 | 292nd of 3,080 |
| Hail | 78 | 0 | $8.2M | 33rd of 159 | 408th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 41 | 0 | $1.9M | 45th of 159 | 142nd of 3,063 |
| Winter storms | 37 | 0 | $1.8M | 33rd of 159 | 1269th of 3,077 |
| Floods | 28 | 0 | $5.6M | 54th of 159 | 1560th of 3,080 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 17 | 0 | $48K | 44th of 159 | 90th of 1,849 |
| Extreme cold | 14 | 0 | – | 47th of 159 | 561st of 3,076 |
| Lightning | 13 | 2 | $1.4M | 20th of 159 | 142nd of 3,080 |
| Heat | 11 | 0 | – | 50th of 159 | 691st of 3,076 |
| Tornadoes | 10 | 0 | $21M | 90th of 159 | 1437th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 9 | 0 | $442K | 50th of 159 | 1448th of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 0 | – | 97th of 159 | 1183rd 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 Paulding County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.