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Bibb County, Georgia

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

Relatively Low overall risk
18th of 159highest risk in Georgia
$33Mexpected losses a year
14federal declarations
1 in 250homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Bibb County, Georgia has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 78% of US counties. It ranks 18th of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and heat waves. FEMA estimates about $33 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $212 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (6 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (214 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $3.8 million on 155 claims here, including $1.5 million for floods in 1994.

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

Top risks in Bibb County

$17 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 1 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
$5.2 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.

Heat wave

Moderate
$4.3 million 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 floodingModerate80.4
$17M
TornadoModerate87.7
$5M
Heat waveModerate94.2
$4M
HurricaneModerate81.9
$2M
Strong windModerate80.7
$1M
EarthquakeLow77.0
$1M
LightningHigh87.8
$893K
HailModerate82.7
$862K
Cold waveLow30.1
$355K
WildfireLow73.0
$185K
Ice stormLow55.5
$92K
DroughtLow43.0
$74K
Winter weatherVery Low23.7
$18K
LandslideLow71.3
$6K

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 high 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

Hurricane5
Severe Storm3
Drought1
Snowstorm1
Tornado1
Severe Ice Storm1

Most recent

Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
Oct 10, 2018Hurricane MichaelEmergency
Sep 15, 2017Hurricane IrmaMajor disaster
Sep 8, 2017Hurricane IrmaEmergency
Feb 11, 2014Severe Winter StormEmergency
May 23, 2008Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 24, 2004Tropical Storm FrancesMajor disaster
Mar 11, 1998Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 14
Jul 7, 1994Tornadoes, Flooding Torrential Rain(Trop Storm Alberto)Major disaster
Mar 15, 1993Severe Snowfall, Winter StormEmergency
Feb 23, 1990Severe Storms, Tornaodes & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 20, 1977DroughtEmergency

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

Storm history since 1952

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 394 storm reports in Bibb County since 1952, with 5 deaths and 65 injuries and about $28.8 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on March 13, 1954.

26tornadoes
98hail reports, largest 2.5 inches
241damaging thunderstorm winds
14floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Mar 13, 1954F3–50 / 5
Mar 3, 1952F3–4 / 0
Mar 1, 2007EF3Lizella0 / 0
May 11, 2008EF2Lizella0 / 0
Apr 30, 1953F2–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
May 11, 2008TornadoLizella$5M
Mar 13, 1954Tornado–$3M
May 21, 1955Tornado–$3M
Apr 13, 1979Tornado–$3M
Mar 26, 2011HailLizella$2M
Apr 16, 2011TornadoRivoli$2M

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, 3 hurricanes and 18 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Bibb County, 3 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Helene (2024), with top winds near 80 mph about 57 miles away.

3hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
18tropical storms
2024most recent: Helene

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 2024HeleneCategory 1, 80 mph57 mi
Oct 11, 2018MichaelCategory 1, 80 mph64 mi
Aug 24, 1851UnnamedCategory 1, 75 mph63 mi
Aug 28, 1949UnnamedTropical storm, 70 mph63 mi
Oct 3, 1898UnnamedTropical storm, 70 mph59 mi
Aug 31, 1856UnnamedTropical storm, 70 mph55 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 2024HeleneCategory 1, 80 mph57 mi
Oct 11, 2018MichaelCategory 1, 80 mph64 mi
Jun 15, 1965UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph46 mi
Aug 28, 1949UnnamedTropical storm, 70 mph63 mi
Oct 7, 1941UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph62 mi
Aug 12, 1940UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph59 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 ›
0.4%of homes have federal flood insurance (214 policies)
47.8%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$3.8 millionpaid on 155 flood claims since 1978
1994costliest year, with $1.5 million 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

$174,500median home value (Georgia $303,300, US $332,700)
1977median year homes were built (Georgia 1992, US 1980)
55%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
2.6%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; 71,962 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
Houston CountyLow15
Jones CountyVery Low15
Monroe CountyVery Low19
Crawford CountyVery Low18
Twiggs CountyVery Low15

Cities in Bibb County

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 $17 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $5.2 million.

How many federal disasters has Bibb County had?

Bibb County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 6 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.

Is Bibb County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 18th 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 Bibb County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 250 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 26 tornadoes in Bibb County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on March 13, 1954. The weather service has also logged 98 hail reports and 14 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Bibb County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 3 hurricanes and 18 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Bibb County. The strongest was Hurricane Helene (2024), with winds near 80 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.