Sumter County, Georgia: hazard risk
FEMA rates Sumter County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 53.2 of 100, higher than 53% of rated U.S. counties); 1 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by drought. Its storm record holds 388 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Relatively High | 95.5 | $1.9M |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 65.4 | $1.5M |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 64.7 | $273K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 56.6 | $444K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 80.9 | $1.5M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 68.9 | $588K |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 64.5 | $79K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 64.0 | $294K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 64.0 | $385K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 53.5 | $4.9M |
| Landslide | Very Low | 34.0 | $283 |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 15.1 | $8K |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 11.0 | $4K |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 10.5 | $55K |
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 | 136 | 0 | $1.3M | 118th of 159 | 1134th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 50 | 0 | $39M | 124th of 159 | 763rd of 3,063 |
| Hail | 33 | 0 | $850K | 128th of 159 | 2317th of 3,080 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 30 | 0 | $183K | 103rd of 159 | 202nd of 1,849 |
| Extreme cold | 28 | 0 | – | 93rd of 159 | 851st of 3,076 |
| Tornadoes | 27 | 3 | $169M | 44th of 159 | 694th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 23 | 1 | – | 86th of 159 | 888th of 3,076 |
| Floods | 16 | 0 | $1.2M | 109th of 159 | 2188th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 11 | 0 | $10M | 79th of 159 | 2085th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 11 | 0 | $113K | 122nd of 159 | 2782nd of 3,077 |
| Lightning | 9 | 0 | $605K | 52nd of 159 | 401st of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 6 | 0 | – | 76th of 159 | 990th 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 Sumter County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.