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Bibb County, Alabama

Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.

Very Low overall risk
52nd of 67highest risk in Alabama
$9Mexpected losses a year
18federal declarations
1 in 500homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Bibb County, Alabama has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 61% of US counties. It ranks 52nd of 67 counties in Alabama. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $9.0 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $404 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (9 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2024 (Hurricane Helene). Only 17 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $33,000 on 12 claims here.

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.

Top risks in Bibb County

$4.7 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 years.
  • Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
  • Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.

Tornado

Moderate
$2.5 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 years.
  • Pick a shelter spot: a basement, or an inside room on the lowest floor with no windows.
  • Turn on emergency alerts on your phone and keep a weather radio.
$482,537 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 years.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow48.9
$5M
TornadoModerate77.2
$3M
Cold waveLow39.7
$483K
Heat waveLow59.7
$421K
EarthquakeLow62.4
$385K
LightningLow52.7
$191K
Strong windVery Low16.3
$104K
HurricaneVery Low50.1
$55K
WildfireVery Low48.7
$33K
HailVery Low13.1
$32K
DroughtLow33.9
$27K
Ice stormLow28.6
$22K
LandslideLow77.9
$9K
Winter weatherVery Low6.9
$4K

Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is relatively high and community resilience is relatively low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Bibb County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane9
Severe Storm6
Flood1
Drought1
Snowstorm1

Most recent

Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
Apr 26, 2021Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Sep 14, 2020Hurricane SallyEmergency
Oct 8, 2017Hurricane NateEmergency
Sep 11, 2017Hurricane IrmaEmergency
Apr 28, 2011Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 27, 2011Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line WindsEmergency
Aug 30, 2008Hurricane GustavEmergency
Sep 10, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Aug 29, 2005Hurricane KatrinaMajor disaster
Show all 18
Jul 10, 2005Hurricane DennisMajor disaster
Sep 15, 2004Hurricane IvanMajor disaster
May 12, 2003Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Nov 14, 2002Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Mar 15, 1993Severe Snowfall, Winter StormEmergency
Feb 17, 1990Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 20, 1977DroughtEmergency
May 29, 1973Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster

Alabama also had 11 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1956

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 277 storm reports in Bibb County since 1956, with 6 deaths and 74 injuries and about $42.3 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on May 27, 1973.

39tornadoes
72hail reports, largest 4.5 inches
149damaging thunderstorm winds
15floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 27, 1973F4–47 / 5
Apr 27, 2011EF3Mertz10 / 1
Mar 17, 1963F3–4 / 0
Mar 25, 2021EF3Pondville5 / 0
Mar 30, 2022EF3Active1 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
May 27, 1973Tornado–$25M
Apr 27, 2011TornadoMertz$14M
Mar 24, 1994Thunderstorm WindBrent$550K
Apr 27, 2011TornadoMertz$275K
Aug 22, 1983Tornado–$250K
Apr 22, 1984Tornado–$250K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 1, 2026. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.

Hurricanes and tropical storms

Hurricane risk by county ›

Since 1860, 1 hurricane and 12 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Bibb County, 6 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Zeta (2020), with top winds near 75 mph about 64 miles away.

1hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
12tropical storms
2020most recent: Zeta

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 29, 2020ZetaCategory 1, 75 mph64 mi
Oct 5, 1995OpalTropical storm, 70 mph57 mi
Oct 18, 1916UnnamedTropical storm, 65 mph46 mi
Sep 16, 2004IvanTropical storm, 65 mph65 mi
Aug 31, 1950BakerTropical storm, 55 mph62 mi
Sep 16, 1860UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph58 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 29, 2020ZetaCategory 1, 75 mph64 mi
Oct 8, 2017NateTropical storm, 40 mph54 mi
Sep 16, 2004IvanTropical storm, 65 mph65 mi
Oct 5, 1995OpalTropical storm, 70 mph57 mi
Nov 1, 1985JuanTropical storm, 45 mph47 mi
Aug 31, 1950BakerTropical storm, 55 mph62 mi

Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center best-track records (HURDAT2), 1851 to 2025 for the Atlantic and 1949 to 2025 for the eastern Pacific. A storm counts if its track passed within 65 miles of the county's center while it was a tropical storm or hurricane. Strength is the storm's top sustained wind at that point, not the wind measured in the county. Older storms over the open sea were sometimes missed.

Flood insurance in Bibb County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (17 policies)
5.3%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$32,985paid on 12 flood claims since 1978
1985costliest year, with $19,434 paid

National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.

Homes in Bibb County

$145,700median home value (Alabama $209,900, US $332,700)
1990median year homes were built (Alabama 1986, US 1980)
35%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
27.8%of homes are mobile homes, which are the least safe in tornadoes and high winds

Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 9,133 housing units.

Compare in Alabama

All 67 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Jefferson CountyHighInland flooding
Mobile CountyHighHurricane
Madison CountyHighInland flooding
Baldwin CountyHighHurricane
Montgomery CountyModerateInland flooding
Tuscaloosa CountyModerateInland flooding
Shelby CountyModerateInland flooding
Lee CountyLowInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Jefferson CountyHigh37
Tuscaloosa CountyModerate26
Shelby CountyModerate24
Chilton CountyLow22
Hale CountyVery Low21
Perry CountyVery Low22

Common questions about Bibb County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Bibb County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Bibb County, about $4.7 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $2.5 million.

How many federal disasters has Bibb County had?

Bibb County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 9 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Helene in September 2024.

Is Bibb County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 52nd highest of 67 in Alabama. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.

Do I need flood insurance in Bibb County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 500 homes in Bibb County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.

How many tornadoes has Bibb County had?

NOAA records list 39 tornadoes in Bibb County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on May 27, 1973. The weather service has also logged 72 hail reports and 15 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Bibb County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 1 hurricane and 12 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Bibb County. The strongest was Hurricane Zeta (2020), with winds near 75 mph.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.