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Atkinson County, Georgia

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

Very Low overall risk
143rd of 159highest risk in Georgia
$4Mexpected losses a year
17federal declarations
1 in 500homes with flood insurance
Photo: CC0

Atkinson County, Georgia has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 93% of US counties. It ranks 143rd of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are hurricanes, inland flooding and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $3.6 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $431 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (9 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2024 (Hurricane Helene). Only 6 homes here carry federal flood insurance.

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

Top risks in Atkinson County

$1.4 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 years.
  • Know your evacuation zone and route before June 1.
  • Ask about roof age, shutters and the separate wind or hurricane deductible on your home policy.
$1.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 4 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.
$427,830 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 6 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
HurricaneLow78.1
$1M
Inland floodingVery Low8.4
$1M
TornadoLow28.8
$428K
DroughtLow56.4
$205K
Cold waveVery Low15.6
$147K
EarthquakeVery Low35.3
$104K
LightningVery Low23.0
$73K
Heat waveVery Low21.2
$64K
Strong windVery Low9.0
$60K
WildfireVery Low43.4
$29K
HailVery Low6.4
$17K
Winter weatherVery Low3.0
$2K
Ice stormVery Low1.6
$597
LandslideVery Low1.6
$1

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 moderate and community resilience is very low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Hurricane9
Tropical Storm3
Severe Storm2
Drought1
Flood1
Fire1

Most recent

Sep 30, 2024Hurricane HeleneMajor disaster
Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
Sep 24, 2024Tropical Storm DebbyMajor disaster
Aug 5, 2024Hurricane DebbyEmergency
Sep 7, 2023Hurricane IdaliaMajor disaster
Oct 14, 2018Hurricane MichaelMajor disaster
Oct 10, 2018Hurricane MichaelEmergency
Sep 15, 2017Hurricane IrmaMajor disaster
Sep 8, 2017Hurricane IrmaEmergency
Oct 6, 2016Hurricane MatthewEmergency
Show all 17
Apr 23, 2009Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
May 5, 2007Roundabout FireFire management
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 24, 2004Tropical Storm FrancesMajor disaster
Mar 11, 1998Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 15, 1991Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 20, 1977DroughtEmergency

Georgia also had 8 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1961

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 173 storm reports in Atkinson County since 1961, with 0 deaths and 3 injuries and about $558,500 in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on April 8, 1964.

11tornadoes
31hail reports, largest 2 inches
120damaging thunderstorm winds
6floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 8, 1964F2–0 / 0
Apr 8, 1974F1–0 / 0
Jan 22, 2017EF1Oberry0 / 0
Nov 12, 2002F0Willacoochee0 / 0
Oct 25, 1997F0Pearson0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 8, 1974Tornado–$250K
Mar 12, 2026Thunderstorm WindPearson$100K
Jul 25, 1995Thunderstorm WindPearson$40K
Apr 8, 1964Tornado–$25K
Nov 7, 1995Thunderstorm Wind–$15K
Sep 29, 1998Flash FloodCountywide$15K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 19, 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 1852, 13 hurricanes and 54 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Atkinson County, 23 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Helene (2024), with top winds near 115 mph about 58 miles away.

13hurricanes
1major hurricanes (Category 3+)
54tropical storms
2024most recent: Helene

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 2024HeleneCategory 3, 115 mph58 mi
Sep 29, 1896UnnamedCategory 2, 105 mph56 mi
Aug 30, 2023IdaliaCategory 2, 100 mph58 mi
Oct 2, 1898UnnamedCategory 2, 100 mph51 mi
Oct 9, 1894UnnamedCategory 1, 90 mph58 mi
Oct 10, 1852UnnamedCategory 1, 90 mph64 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 2024HeleneCategory 3, 115 mph58 mi
Aug 5, 2024DebbyTropical storm, 60 mph62 mi
Aug 30, 2023IdaliaCategory 2, 100 mph58 mi
Sep 9, 2021MindyTropical storm, 40 mph62 mi
Jul 7, 2021ElsaTropical storm, 50 mph60 mi
Sep 11, 2017IrmaTropical storm, 55 mph61 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 Atkinson County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (6 policies)
5.6%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$1,640paid on 2 flood claims since 1978
1980costliest year, with $1,185 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 Atkinson County

$79,000median home value (Georgia $303,300, US $332,700)
1989median year homes were built (Georgia 1992, US 1980)
32%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
51%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; 3,530 housing units.

Compare in Georgia

All 159 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Fulton CountyHighInland flooding
Gwinnett CountyHighInland flooding
Cobb CountyHighInland flooding
DeKalb CountyModerateInland flooding
Clayton CountyModerateInland flooding
Chatham CountyHighHurricane
Cherokee CountyModerateInland flooding
Forsyth CountyModerateInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Coffee CountyLow19
Ware CountyLow22
Berrien CountyVery Low18
Lanier CountyVery Low15
Clinch CountyVery Low18

Common questions about Atkinson County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Atkinson County?

Hurricane has the highest expected yearly losses in Atkinson County, about $1.4 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $1.1 million.

How many federal disasters has Atkinson County had?

Atkinson County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 9 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Helene in September 2024.

Is Atkinson County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 143rd highest of 159 in Georgia. 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 Atkinson County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 500 homes in Atkinson 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 Atkinson County had?

NOAA records list 11 tornadoes in Atkinson County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on April 8, 1964. The weather service has also logged 31 hail reports and 6 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Atkinson County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 13 hurricanes and 54 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Atkinson County, including 1 major hurricane (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was Hurricane Helene (2024), with winds near 115 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.