Baldwin County, Georgia
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Baldwin County, Georgia has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 50% of US counties. It ranks 60th of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and heat waves. FEMA estimates about $14 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $316 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (4 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 30 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 Baldwin County
- 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.
- 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.
- Check that cooling works before summer.
- Know where the nearest cooling center is.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 63.2 | $8M | ||
| Tornado | 51.9 | $1M | ||
| Heat wave | 73.3 | $908K | ||
| Earthquake | 73.1 | $837K | ||
| Drought | 73.3 | $535K | ||
| Cold wave | 37.9 | $516K | ||
| Hurricane | 68.3 | $435K | ||
| Strong wind | 37.3 | $321K | ||
| Hail | 58.0 | $302K | ||
| Ice storm | 63.8 | $135K | ||
| Wildfire | 66.9 | $117K | ||
| Lightning | 29.5 | $90K | ||
| Winter weather | 10.8 | $7K | ||
| Landslide | 29.1 | $244 |
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 relatively moderate in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Baldwin County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 12
Georgia also had 8 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1958
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 191 storm reports in Baldwin County since 1958, with 0 deaths and 3 injuries and about $6 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on December 25, 1964.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 25, 1964 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 24, 1961 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 21, 2017 | EF1 | Allon Mill | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 23, 1967 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 26, 2023 | EF1 | Allenwood | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 25, 1964 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| May 20, 2008 | Hail | Milledgeville | $1M |
| Mar 15, 2008 | Hail | Browns Crossing | $300K |
| Jun 14, 2023 | Lightning | Allon Mill | $300K |
| Mar 15, 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Milledgeville | $250K |
| May 20, 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Milledgeville | $250K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Mar 16, 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 1851, 1 hurricane and 19 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Baldwin County, 3 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Helene (2024), with top winds near 75 mph about 48 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 2024 | Helene | Category 1, 75 mph | 48 mi |
| Aug 24, 1851 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 60 mi |
| Aug 28, 1949 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 60 mi |
| Oct 11, 2018 | Michael | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 53 mi |
| Aug 31, 1856 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 59 mi |
| Oct 3, 1898 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 63 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 2024 | Helene | Category 1, 75 mph | 48 mi |
| Oct 11, 2018 | Michael | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 53 mi |
| Jun 15, 1965 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 50 mi |
| Aug 28, 1949 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 60 mi |
| Oct 7, 1941 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 60 mi |
| Aug 12, 1940 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 58 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 Baldwin County
Check your address flood zone ›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 Baldwin County
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; 20,302 housing units.
Compare in Georgia
All 159 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Fulton County | Inland flooding | |
| Gwinnett County | Inland flooding | |
| Cobb County | Inland flooding | |
| DeKalb County | Inland flooding | |
| Clayton County | Inland flooding | |
| Chatham County | Hurricane | |
| Cherokee County | Inland flooding | |
| Forsyth County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Jones County | 15 | |
| Putnam County | 13 | |
| Washington County | 14 | |
| Wilkinson County | 14 | |
| Hancock County | 13 |
Common questions about Baldwin County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Baldwin County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Baldwin County, about $8.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $1.1 million.
How many federal disasters has Baldwin County had?
Baldwin County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 4 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.
Is Baldwin County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 60th 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 Baldwin County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 500 homes in Baldwin 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 Baldwin County had?
NOAA records list 9 tornadoes in Baldwin County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on December 25, 1964. The weather service has also logged 44 hail reports and 10 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Baldwin County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 1 hurricane and 19 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Baldwin County. The strongest was Hurricane Helene (2024), 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.