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Bacon County, Georgia

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

Very Low overall risk
108th of 159highest risk in Georgia
$6Mexpected losses a year
17federal declarations
1 in 1000homes with flood insurance
Photo: CC0

Bacon County, Georgia has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 79% of US counties. It ranks 108th of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are hurricanes, inland flooding and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $5.5 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $497 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 7 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 Bacon County

Hurricane

Moderate
$2.6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 4 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.
$1.4 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.
$570,123 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 8 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
HurricaneModerate84.4
$3M
Inland floodingVery Low15.4
$1M
TornadoLow37.5
$570K
DroughtModerate64.2
$281K
EarthquakeVery Low50.2
$207K
Heat waveVery Low33.4
$121K
Cold waveVery Low15.3
$116K
LightningLow32.2
$88K
Strong windVery Low14.4
$88K
WildfireVery Low56.6
$51K
HailVery Low14.5
$36K
Winter weatherVery Low2.8
$1K
Ice stormVery Low2.6
$776
LandslideVery Low4.9
$5

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 very low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Hurricane9
Tropical Storm3
Severe Storm2
Drought1
Flood1
Snowstorm1

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
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 24, 2004Tropical Storm FrancesMajor disaster
Mar 11, 1998Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 15, 1993Severe Snowfall, Winter StormEmergency
Mar 15, 1991Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 20, 1977DroughtEmergency

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

Storm history since 1957

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 163 storm reports in Bacon County since 1957, with 0 deaths and 16 injuries and about $4.1 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on October 26, 1997 near Alma.

18tornadoes
28hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
101damaging thunderstorm winds
7floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Oct 26, 1997F2Alma1 / 0
Nov 29, 1957F2–6 / 0
Apr 12, 1961F2–2 / 0
Jan 6, 1962F2–0 / 0
Jan 15, 1971F2–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Dec 2, 2009TornadoSessoms Station$3M
Feb 22, 1983Tornado–$250K
Oct 26, 1997TornadoAlma$200K
Dec 28, 2005TornadoAlma Bacon Co Arpt$200K
Nov 12, 2002TornadoAlma$100K
Dec 24, 2002Thunderstorm WindAlma$50K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 20, 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, 11 hurricanes and 53 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Bacon County, 18 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1898, with top winds near 115 mph about 63 miles away.

11hurricanes
1major hurricanes (Category 3+)
53tropical storms
2024most recent: Helene

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 2, 1898UnnamedCategory 3, 115 mph63 mi
Sep 29, 1896UnnamedCategory 2, 105 mph51 mi
Sep 27, 2024HeleneCategory 2, 100 mph61 mi
Oct 15, 1947UnnamedCategory 2, 95 mph62 mi
Aug 30, 2023IdaliaCategory 1, 90 mph64 mi
Aug 28, 1881UnnamedCategory 1, 90 mph59 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 2024HeleneCategory 2, 100 mph61 mi
Aug 5, 2024DebbyTropical storm, 55 mph61 mi
Aug 30, 2023IdaliaCategory 1, 90 mph64 mi
Jul 7, 2021ElsaTropical storm, 50 mph57 mi
Sep 14, 2016JuliaTropical storm, 45 mph63 mi
Sep 2, 2016HermineTropical storm, 65 mph63 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 Bacon County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.1%of homes have federal flood insurance (7 policies)
16.1%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$0paid on 1 flood claims since 1978
2024costliest year

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 Bacon County

$101,400median home value (Georgia $303,300, US $332,700)
1979median year homes were built (Georgia 1992, US 1980)
52%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
30.7%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; 4,831 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
Pierce CountyVery Low17
Appling CountyLow18
Jeff Davis CountyVery Low18

Common questions about Bacon County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Bacon County?

Hurricane has the highest expected yearly losses in Bacon County, about $2.6 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $1.4 million.

How many federal disasters has Bacon County had?

Bacon 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 Bacon County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 108th 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 Bacon County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Bacon 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 Bacon County had?

NOAA records list 18 tornadoes in Bacon County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on October 26, 1997 near Alma. The weather service has also logged 28 hail reports and 7 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Bacon County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 11 hurricanes and 53 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Bacon County, including 1 major hurricane (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1898, 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.