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Bulloch County, Georgia

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

Relatively Low overall risk
21st of 159highest risk in Georgia
$33Mexpected losses a year
20federal declarations
1 in 59homes with flood insurance
Photo: CC0

Bulloch County, Georgia has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 75% of US counties. It ranks 21st of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are hurricanes, inland flooding and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $33 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $410 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (10 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). About 1 in 59 homes here carry federal flood insurance (417 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $4.9 million on 183 claims here, including $3.5 million for floods in 2024.

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

Top risks in Bulloch County

Hurricane

Moderate
$11.9 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.
$8.8 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.

Tornado

Moderate
$3.8 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 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
HurricaneModerate92.4
$12M
Inland floodingLow60.6
$9M
TornadoModerate80.2
$4M
EarthquakeLow86.9
$3M
Heat waveModerate83.5
$2M
Cold waveLow56.5
$1M
DroughtModerate83.3
$1M
LightningModerate68.5
$448K
HailLow59.1
$349K
Strong windLow30.6
$284K
Ice stormModerate73.8
$259K
WildfireLow64.0
$108K
Winter weatherLow29.7
$28K
LandslideVery Low23.6
$160

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 Bulloch County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane9
Tropical Storm3
Severe Storm2
Severe Ice Storm2
Drought1
Snowstorm1

Most recent

Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
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
Show all 20
Jan 26, 2017Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 8, 2016Hurricane MatthewMajor disaster
Oct 6, 2016Hurricane MatthewEmergency
Mar 6, 2014Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Feb 11, 2014Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Mar 11, 1998Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 19, 1994Heavy Rains, Tornados, Flooding, High WindsMajor 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 1956

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 521 storm reports in Bulloch County since 1956, with 0 deaths and 52 injuries and about $4.6 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on May 3, 1984.

18tornadoes
104hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
370damaging thunderstorm winds
22floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 3, 1984F2–30 / 0
Jul 1, 2003F2Clito0 / 0
Feb 9, 2017EF2Stilson7 / 0
May 12, 1974F1–6 / 0
Nov 30, 1974F1–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
May 3, 1984Tornado–$3M
May 12, 1974Tornado–$250K
Nov 30, 1974Tornado–$250K
Apr 27, 1975Tornado–$250K
Mar 26, 2011TornadoAaron$250K
May 11, 2008TornadoDenmark$125K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 5, 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, 12 hurricanes and 46 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Bulloch County, 19 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1893, with top winds near 115 mph about 61 miles away.

12hurricanes
2major hurricanes (Category 3+)
46tropical storms
2024most recent: Debby

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 28, 1893UnnamedCategory 3, 115 mph61 mi
Sep 8, 1854UnnamedCategory 3, 115 mph65 mi
Oct 15, 1947UnnamedCategory 2, 105 mph64 mi
Aug 28, 1881UnnamedCategory 2, 105 mph63 mi
Sep 29, 1896UnnamedCategory 2, 100 mph46 mi
Aug 11, 1940UnnamedCategory 2, 100 mph63 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 6, 2024DebbyTropical storm, 50 mph64 mi
Aug 30, 2023IdaliaTropical storm, 65 mph56 mi
Jul 8, 2021ElsaTropical storm, 50 mph50 mi
Sep 2, 2016HermineTropical storm, 60 mph55 mi
Jun 7, 2013AndreaTropical storm, 45 mph58 mi
May 30, 2012BerylTropical storm, 40 mph55 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 Bulloch County

Check your address flood zone ›
1.7%of homes have federal flood insurance (417 policies)
26%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$4.9 millionpaid on 183 flood claims since 1978
2024costliest year, with $3.5 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 Bulloch County

$222,500median home value (Georgia $303,300, US $332,700)
1995median year homes were built (Georgia 1992, US 1980)
28%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
14.5%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; 34,182 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
Effingham CountyLow15
Bryan CountyLow19
Emanuel CountyVery Low20
Screven CountyLow19
Candler CountyVery Low20
Evans CountyVery Low15
Jenkins CountyVery Low19

Cities in Bulloch County

Common questions about Bulloch County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Bulloch County?

Hurricane has the highest expected yearly losses in Bulloch County, about $11.9 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $8.8 million.

How many federal disasters has Bulloch County had?

Bulloch County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 10 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.

Is Bulloch County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 21st 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 Bulloch County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 59 homes in Bulloch 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 Bulloch County had?

NOAA records list 18 tornadoes in Bulloch County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on May 3, 1984. The weather service has also logged 104 hail reports and 22 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Bulloch County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 12 hurricanes and 46 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Bulloch County, including 2 major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1893, 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.