Wilkes County, Georgia: hazard risk
FEMA rates Wilkes County's overall risk Very Low (score 12.9 of 100, higher than 12% of rated U.S. counties). Its storm record holds 229 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 71.0 | $159K |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 64.3 | $259K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 73.0 | $537K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 59.9 | $311K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 44.9 | $148K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 43.1 | $181K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 35.4 | $368K |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 29.3 | $340K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 21.6 | $136K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 34.7 | $13K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 17.7 | $61 |
| Riverine Flooding | Very Low | 15.7 | $1.3M |
| Lightning | Very Low | 14.5 | $34K |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 4.5 | $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 | 74 | 0 | $1.3M | 154th of 159 | 1869th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 36 | 0 | $14M | 111th of 159 | 534th of 3,063 |
| Hail | 28 | 0 | $144K | 132nd of 159 | 2383rd of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 21 | 0 | $2.7M | 65th of 159 | 2328th of 3,077 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 18 | 0 | $241K | 86th of 159 | 170th of 1,849 |
| Extreme cold | 14 | 0 | – | 91st of 159 | 836th of 3,076 |
| Heat | 11 | 0 | – | 92nd of 159 | 917th of 3,076 |
| Floods | 10 | 0 | $123K | 128th of 159 | 2377th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 5 | 0 | $3.6M | 155th of 159 | 2392nd of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 4 | 0 | $14K | 104th of 159 | 2441st of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 3 | 0 | $23K | 98th of 159 | 1186th of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 3 | 0 | $438K | 112th of 159 | 1041st 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 Wilkes County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.