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Charlton County, Georgia

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

Very Low overall risk
94th of 159highest risk in Georgia
$5Mexpected losses a year
19federal declarations
1 in 167homes with flood insurance
Photo: CC0

Charlton County, Georgia has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 73% of US counties. It ranks 94th of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are hurricanes, inland flooding and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $5.4 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $436 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (6 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2024 (Hurricane Helene). Only 28 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $1.2 million on 39 claims here, including $512,000 for floods in 2012.

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

Top risks in Charlton County

Hurricane

Moderate
$3.3 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.
$1.2 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.
$257,194 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
HurricaneModerate88.0
$3M
Inland floodingVery Low16.2
$1M
TornadoLow27.2
$257K
Heat waveLow46.1
$188K
WildfireLow72.2
$125K
LightningLow42.1
$106K
Strong windLow17.8
$94K
EarthquakeVery Low35.8
$71K
Cold waveVery Low9.5
$42K
HailVery Low7.3
$13K
Ice stormVery Low21.4
$11K
DroughtVery Low19.5
$2K
Winter weatherVery Low4.2
$2K
Coastal floodingVery Low18.4
$73
LandslideVery Low7.4
$9

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 Charlton County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane9
Fire4
Tropical Storm3
Drought1
Snowstorm1
Severe Storm1

Most recent

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
May 8, 2017West Mims FireFire management
Show all 19
Oct 6, 2016Hurricane MatthewEmergency
Jun 15, 2011Racepond WildfireFire management
May 9, 2007Bugaboo Scrub FireFire management
Apr 17, 2007Sweat Farm Road 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 1961

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 217 storm reports in Charlton County since 1961, with 0 deaths and 3 injuries and about $753,500 in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F1 tornado on December 24, 2002 near Winokur.

11tornadoes
50hail reports, largest 2 inches
122damaging thunderstorm winds
8floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Dec 24, 2002F1Winokur0 / 0
Mar 31, 1961F1–1 / 0
Mar 7, 2008EF1Clarking0 / 0
Dec 24, 2002F0Folkston0 / 0
Feb 2, 1996F0Mattox0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Feb 11, 1995Thunderstorm WindFolkston$185K
Oct 7, 1996Flash FloodFolkston$160K
Dec 24, 2002TornadoWinokur$100K
Jul 21, 2019LightningFolkston$100K
Dec 24, 2002TornadoFolkston$50K
Sep 30, 1996Flash FloodFolkston$15K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 23, 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 1867, 12 hurricanes and 60 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Charlton County, 26 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1898, with top winds near 130 mph about 60 miles away.

12hurricanes
2major hurricanes (Category 3+)
60tropical storms
2024most recent: Debby

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 2, 1898UnnamedCategory 4, 130 mph60 mi
Sep 29, 1896UnnamedCategory 3, 115 mph59 mi
Aug 30, 2023IdaliaCategory 2, 100 mph64 mi
Sep 4, 1979DavidCategory 1, 95 mph65 mi
Oct 11, 1888UnnamedCategory 1, 95 mph64 mi
Sep 10, 1964DoraCategory 1, 90 mph63 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 5, 2024DebbyTropical storm, 60 mph64 mi
Aug 30, 2023IdaliaCategory 2, 100 mph64 mi
Sep 9, 2021MindyTropical storm, 40 mph63 mi
Jul 7, 2021ElsaTropical storm, 50 mph61 mi
Nov 12, 2020EtaTropical storm, 45 mph62 mi
Sep 14, 2016JuliaTropical storm, 50 mph62 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 Charlton County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.6%of homes have federal flood insurance (28 policies)
13%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$1.2 millionpaid on 39 flood claims since 1978
2012costliest year, with $512,482 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 Charlton County

$142,800median home value (Georgia $303,300, US $332,700)
1987median year homes were built (Georgia 1992, US 1980)
34%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
38.5%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; 4,755 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
Nassau County, FLLow38
Camden CountyLow19
Ware CountyLow22
Baker County, FLVery Low38
Brantley CountyVery Low21

Common questions about Charlton County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Charlton County?

Hurricane has the highest expected yearly losses in Charlton County, about $3.3 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $1.2 million.

How many federal disasters has Charlton County had?

Charlton County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 6 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Helene in September 2024.

Is Charlton County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 94th 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 Charlton County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 167 homes in Charlton 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 Charlton County had?

NOAA records list 11 tornadoes in Charlton County since 1950. The strongest was an F1 tornado on December 24, 2002 near Winokur. The weather service has also logged 50 hail reports and 8 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Charlton County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 12 hurricanes and 60 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Charlton County, including 2 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.