Carroll County, Georgia
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Carroll County, Georgia has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 70% of US counties. It ranks 26th of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $32 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $267 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (13 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2026 (Hurricane Isaias). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (138 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $5.5 million on 60 claims here, including $2.8 million for floods in 2009.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Carroll County
- 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.
- 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.
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 70.8 | $15M | ||
| Tornado | 91.8 | $9M | ||
| Cold wave | 71.8 | $3M | ||
| Earthquake | 76.2 | $1M | ||
| Heat wave | 73.5 | $1M | ||
| Hail | 74.0 | $733K | ||
| Strong wind | 53.6 | $671K | ||
| Lightning | 68.8 | $521K | ||
| Wildfire | 78.7 | $391K | ||
| Hurricane | 64.7 | $371K | ||
| Ice storm | 68.3 | $221K | ||
| Winter weather | 17.4 | $16K | ||
| Landslide | 49.0 | $1K |
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 moderate in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Carroll County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 21
Georgia also had 8 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1950
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 464 storm reports in Carroll County since 1950, with 2 deaths and 24 injuries and about $70.9 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF3 tornado on February 26, 2008 near Bowdon.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 26, 2008 | EF3 | Bowdon | 1 / 0 |
| Aug 29, 2005 | F2 | Roopville | 0 / 1 |
| May 11, 2008 | EF2 | Carrollton | 0 / 0 |
| May 11, 2008 | EF2 | Jonesville | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 16, 1990 | F2 | – | 11 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 21, 2009 | Flood | Jake | $16M |
| Feb 26, 2008 | Tornado | Bowdon | $8M |
| Feb 26, 2008 | Tornado | Carrollton | $7M |
| May 11, 2008 | Tornado | Carrollton | $7M |
| Sep 21, 2009 | Flood | Jake | $6M |
| May 11, 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Jonesville | $5M |
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 1852, 0 hurricanes and 12 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Carroll County, 3 of them since 1950. The strongest was Tropical Storm Eloise (1975), with top winds near 70 mph about 54 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 23, 1975 | Eloise | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 54 mi |
| Oct 29, 2020 | Zeta | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 65 mi |
| Oct 3, 1893 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 54 mi |
| Oct 5, 1995 | Opal | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 60 mi |
| Sep 4, 1915 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 65 mi |
| Oct 3, 1898 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 53 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 29, 2020 | Zeta | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 65 mi |
| Oct 5, 1995 | Opal | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 60 mi |
| Sep 23, 1975 | Eloise | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 54 mi |
| Sep 4, 1915 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 65 mi |
| Jun 13, 1906 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 65 mi |
| Sep 15, 1903 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 64 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 Carroll County
Check your address flood zone ›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 Carroll County
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; 47,840 housing units.
Compare in Georgia
All 159 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Fulton County | Inland flooding | |
| Gwinnett County | Inland flooding | |
| Cobb County | Inland flooding | |
| DeKalb County | Inland flooding | |
| Clayton County | Inland flooding | |
| Chatham County | Hurricane | |
| Cherokee County | Inland flooding | |
| Forsyth County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Fulton County | 20 | |
| Paulding County | 18 | |
| Coweta County | 14 | |
| Douglas County | 17 | |
| Haralson County | 16 | |
| Randolph County, AL | 23 | |
| Cleburne County, AL | 20 | |
| Heard County | 18 |
Cities in Carroll County
Common questions about Carroll County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Carroll County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Carroll County, about $14.8 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $9 million.
How many federal disasters has Carroll County had?
Carroll County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 13 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Isaias in October 2026.
Is Carroll County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 26th 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 Carroll County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 333 homes in Carroll 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 Carroll County had?
NOAA records list 28 tornadoes in Carroll County since 1950. The strongest was an EF3 tornado on February 26, 2008 near Bowdon. The weather service has also logged 109 hail reports and 24 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Carroll County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 12 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Carroll County. The strongest was Tropical Storm Eloise (1975), with winds near 70 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.