Home › Georgia › Baldwin County

Baldwin County, Georgia

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

Relatively Low overall risk
60th of 159highest risk in Georgia
$14Mexpected losses a year
12federal declarations
1 in 500homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

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

$8.5 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.
$1.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 7 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.
$908,476 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 7 times a year.
  • Check that cooling works before summer.
  • Know where the nearest cooling center is.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow63.2
$8M
TornadoLow51.9
$1M
Heat waveLow73.3
$908K
EarthquakeLow73.1
$837K
DroughtModerate73.3
$535K
Cold waveLow37.9
$516K
HurricaneLow68.3
$435K
Strong windLow37.3
$321K
HailLow58.0
$302K
Ice stormModerate63.8
$135K
WildfireLow66.9
$117K
LightningLow29.5
$90K
Winter weatherVery Low10.8
$7K
LandslideVery Low29.1
$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

Hurricane5
Severe Ice Storm2
Drought1
Snowstorm1
Severe Storm1
Tropical Storm1

Most recent

Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 30, 2024Hurricane HeleneMajor disaster
Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
Oct 10, 2018Hurricane MichaelEmergency
Sep 15, 2017Hurricane IrmaMajor disaster
Sep 8, 2017Hurricane IrmaEmergency
Mar 6, 2014Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Feb 11, 2014Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Mar 11, 1998Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 12
Mar 15, 1993Severe Snowfall, Winter StormEmergency
Jul 20, 1977DroughtEmergency

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.

9tornadoes
44hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
119damaging thunderstorm winds
10floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Dec 25, 1964F3–0 / 0
Feb 24, 1961F2–0 / 0
Jan 21, 2017EF1Allon Mill0 / 0
Jul 23, 1967F1–0 / 0
Mar 26, 2023EF1Allenwood0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Dec 25, 1964Tornado–$3M
May 20, 2008HailMilledgeville$1M
Mar 15, 2008HailBrowns Crossing$300K
Jun 14, 2023LightningAllon Mill$300K
Mar 15, 2008Thunderstorm WindMilledgeville$250K
May 20, 2008Thunderstorm WindMilledgeville$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.

1hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
19tropical storms
2024most recent: Helene

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 2024HeleneCategory 1, 75 mph48 mi
Aug 24, 1851UnnamedTropical storm, 70 mph60 mi
Aug 28, 1949UnnamedTropical storm, 70 mph60 mi
Oct 11, 2018MichaelTropical storm, 70 mph53 mi
Aug 31, 1856UnnamedTropical storm, 70 mph59 mi
Oct 3, 1898UnnamedTropical storm, 65 mph63 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 2024HeleneCategory 1, 75 mph48 mi
Oct 11, 2018MichaelTropical storm, 70 mph53 mi
Jun 15, 1965UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph50 mi
Aug 28, 1949UnnamedTropical storm, 70 mph60 mi
Oct 7, 1941UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph60 mi
Aug 12, 1940UnnamedTropical storm, 55 mph58 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 ›
0.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (30 policies)
6.6%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$85,159paid on 7 flood claims since 1978
2003costliest year, with $44,006 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 Baldwin County

$181,900median home value (Georgia $303,300, US $332,700)
1987median year homes were built (Georgia 1992, US 1980)
39%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
21.4%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; 20,302 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
Jones CountyVery Low15
Putnam CountyLow13
Washington CountyVery Low14
Wilkinson CountyVery Low14
Hancock CountyVery Low13

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.