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Calhoun County, Georgia

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

Very Low overall risk
121st of 159highest risk in Georgia
$4Mexpected losses a year
13federal declarations
1 in 500homes with flood insurance
Photo: CC0

Calhoun County, Georgia has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 84% of US counties. It ranks 121st of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are hurricanes, drought and inland flooding. FEMA estimates about $3.8 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $683 per resident. Since 1994 it has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (8 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2026 (Hurricane Isaias). Only 5 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 Calhoun County

$963,323 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 5 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.

Drought

Moderate
$809,915 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 45 times a year.
  • Check local water restrictions.
  • Choose drought-tolerant plants.
$638,887 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 7 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
HurricaneLow78.7
$963K
DroughtModerate86.6
$810K
Inland floodingVery Low7.7
$639K
TornadoLow43.0
$586K
Cold waveLow43.2
$448K
HailLow35.5
$90K
Strong windVery Low15.9
$82K
Heat waveVery Low25.6
$62K
LightningLow27.6
$60K
EarthquakeVery Low31.9
$55K
WildfireVery Low29.3
$8K
Winter weatherVery Low5.2
$2K
Ice stormVery Low4.1
$1K
LandslideVery Low3.9
$3

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 very high and community resilience is very low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Hurricane6
Severe Storm3
Tornado2
Tropical Storm2

Most recent

Oct 9, 2026Hurricane IsaiasEmergency
Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
Oct 14, 2018Hurricane MichaelMajor disaster
Oct 10, 2018Hurricane MichaelEmergency
Sep 15, 2017Hurricane IrmaMajor disaster
Sep 8, 2017Hurricane IrmaEmergency
Jan 26, 2017Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 25, 2017Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Apr 23, 2009Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Show all 13
Sep 24, 2004Tropical Storm FrancesMajor disaster
Mar 11, 1998Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 7, 1994Tornadoes, Flooding Torrential Rain(Trop Storm Alberto)Major disaster

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

Storm history since 1957

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 89 storm reports in Calhoun County since 1957, with 0 deaths and 10 injuries and about $4.7 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF2 tornado on January 22, 2017 near Moye.

14tornadoes
7hail reports, largest 1.25 inches
59damaging thunderstorm winds
5floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jan 22, 2017EF2Moye0 / 0
Apr 7, 2016EF2Moye5 / 0
Apr 30, 1971F2–0 / 0
Feb 19, 1974F1–1 / 0
Jan 9, 2024EF1Arlington0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Feb 19, 1974Tornado–$3M
Dec 24, 2002Thunderstorm WindCountywide$500K
Jul 11, 2005Flash FloodCountywide$500K
Jan 2, 2017TornadoLeary$250K
Jul 21, 2018Thunderstorm WindArlington$250K
Jan 22, 2017TornadoMoye$200K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 10, 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, 11 hurricanes and 31 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Calhoun County, 13 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Michael (2018), with top winds near 125 mph about 50 miles away.

11hurricanes
1major hurricanes (Category 3+)
31tropical storms
2021most recent: Fred

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 10, 2018MichaelCategory 3, 125 mph50 mi
Aug 23, 1851UnnamedCategory 2, 105 mph63 mi
Oct 9, 1894UnnamedCategory 2, 100 mph64 mi
Aug 31, 1856UnnamedCategory 1, 90 mph59 mi
Nov 22, 1985KateCategory 1, 85 mph61 mi
Oct 3, 1877UnnamedCategory 1, 85 mph64 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 17, 2021FredTropical storm, 50 mph60 mi
Oct 10, 2018MichaelCategory 3, 125 mph50 mi
Sep 11, 2017IrmaTropical storm, 50 mph53 mi
Sep 27, 2004JeanneTropical storm, 40 mph64 mi
Sep 6, 2004FrancesTropical storm, 45 mph58 mi
Sep 3, 1998EarlTropical storm, 65 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 Calhoun County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (5 policies)
2.3%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$100,706paid on 5 flood claims since 1978
1998costliest year, with $68,022 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 Calhoun County

$81,000median home value (Georgia $303,300, US $332,700)
1978median year homes were built (Georgia 1992, US 1980)
54%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
23%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; 2,030 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
Dougherty CountyModerate16
Early CountyLow14
Terrell CountyVery Low9
Randolph CountyVery Low11
Baker CountyVery Low18
Clay CountyVery Low13

Common questions about Calhoun County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Calhoun County?

Hurricane has the highest expected yearly losses in Calhoun County, about $963,323 a year in FEMA's estimate. Drought is second at $809,915.

How many federal disasters has Calhoun County had?

Calhoun County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1994, including 8 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Isaias in October 2026.

Is Calhoun County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 121st 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 Calhoun County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 500 homes in Calhoun 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 Calhoun County had?

NOAA records list 14 tornadoes in Calhoun County since 1950. The strongest was an EF2 tornado on January 22, 2017 near Moye. The weather service has also logged 7 hail reports and 5 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Calhoun County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 11 hurricanes and 31 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Calhoun County, including 1 major hurricane (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was Hurricane Michael (2018), with winds near 125 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.