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Brantley County, Georgia

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

Very Low overall risk
114th of 159highest risk in Georgia
$7Mexpected losses a year
21federal declarations
1 in 125homes with flood insurance
Photo: CC0

Brantley County, Georgia has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 82% of US counties. It ranks 114th of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are hurricanes, inland flooding and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $7.0 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $392 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (9 major disasters). The most recent was in April 2026 (Highway 82 Fire). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (69 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $426,000 on 23 claims here.

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

Top risks in Brantley County

Hurricane

Moderate
$3.1 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.
$2 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.
$543,869 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
HurricaneModerate83.1
$3M
Inland floodingVery Low15.9
$2M
TornadoLow30.7
$544K
Cold waveLow32.7
$489K
Heat waveLow39.7
$232K
EarthquakeVery Low41.7
$174K
WildfireLow67.8
$152K
LightningLow36.0
$142K
Strong windVery Low12.3
$99K
DroughtLow39.5
$64K
HailVery Low9.1
$28K
Ice stormVery Low20.5
$17K
Winter weatherVery Low6.9
$5K
Coastal floodingVery Low20.2
$316
LandslideVery Low7.1
$15

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 low and community resilience is relatively low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Hurricane10
Fire3
Tropical Storm3
Severe Storm2
Drought1
Snowstorm1

Most recent

Apr 22, 2026Highway 82 FireFire management
Sep 30, 2024Hurricane HeleneMajor disaster
Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
Sep 24, 2024Tropical Storm DebbyMajor disaster
Aug 5, 2024Hurricane DebbyEmergency
Sep 7, 2023Hurricane IdaliaMajor disaster
Sep 1, 2019Hurricane DorianEmergency
Oct 10, 2018Hurricane MichaelEmergency
Sep 15, 2017Hurricane IrmaMajor disaster
Sep 8, 2017Hurricane IrmaEmergency
Show all 21
Jan 26, 2017Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 8, 2016Hurricane MatthewMajor disaster
Oct 6, 2016Hurricane MatthewEmergency
Jun 15, 2011Racepond WildfireFire management
Apr 23, 2009Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Apr 26, 2007Kneeknocker Swamp FireFire management
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 24, 2004Tropical Storm FrancesMajor disaster
Mar 11, 1998Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 15, 1993Severe Snowfall, Winter StormEmergency
Jul 20, 1977DroughtEmergency

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

Storm history since 1963

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 225 storm reports in Brantley County since 1963, with 1 death and 7 injuries and about $553,100 in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on January 13, 1963.

8tornadoes
53hail reports, largest 2 inches
136damaging thunderstorm winds
8floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jan 13, 1963F2–0 / 0
Mar 9, 2024EF2Nahunta5 / 0
Oct 11, 1990F1–0 / 0
Apr 13, 1979F1–0 / 0
Dec 5, 2005F1Hoboken0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Oct 11, 1990Tornado–$250K
Jul 14, 2010LightningSchlatterville$100K
Sep 25, 2011Thunderstorm WindHortense$50K
Jan 13, 1963Tornado–$25K
Apr 13, 1979Tornado–$25K
Jan 2, 1999Thunderstorm WindHoboken$15K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 29, 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, 14 hurricanes and 61 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Brantley County, 23 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1898, with top winds near 130 mph about 60 miles away.

14hurricanes
3major hurricanes (Category 3+)
61tropical storms
2024most recent: Debby

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 2, 1898UnnamedCategory 4, 130 mph60 mi
Aug 28, 1893UnnamedCategory 3, 115 mph64 mi
Sep 8, 1854UnnamedCategory 3, 115 mph64 mi
Sep 29, 1896UnnamedCategory 2, 110 mph55 mi
Aug 28, 1881UnnamedCategory 2, 105 mph65 mi
Oct 15, 1947UnnamedCategory 2, 95 mph51 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 5, 2024DebbyTropical storm, 55 mph57 mi
Aug 30, 2023IdaliaCategory 1, 85 mph52 mi
Jul 7, 2021ElsaTropical storm, 50 mph57 mi
Nov 12, 2020EtaTropical storm, 45 mph62 mi
Sep 14, 2016JuliaTropical storm, 45 mph59 mi
Sep 2, 2016HermineTropical storm, 60 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 Brantley County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.8%of homes have federal flood insurance (69 policies)
11.9%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$425,656paid on 23 flood claims since 1978
2009costliest year, with $382,238 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 Brantley County

$99,600median home value (Georgia $303,300, US $332,700)
1995median year homes were built (Georgia 1992, US 1980)
30%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; 8,298 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
Glynn CountyModerate18
Camden CountyLow19
Ware CountyLow22
Wayne CountyLow17
Pierce CountyVery Low17
Charlton CountyVery Low19

Common questions about Brantley County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Brantley County?

Hurricane has the highest expected yearly losses in Brantley County, about $3.1 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $2 million.

How many federal disasters has Brantley County had?

Brantley County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 9 major disasters. The most recent was Highway 82 Fire in April 2026.

Is Brantley County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 114th 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 Brantley County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 125 homes in Brantley 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 Brantley County had?

NOAA records list 8 tornadoes in Brantley County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on January 13, 1963. The weather service has also logged 53 hail reports and 8 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Brantley County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 14 hurricanes and 61 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Brantley County, including 3 major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1898, with winds near 130 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.