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Clayton County, Georgia

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

Relatively Moderate overall risk
7th of 159highest risk in Georgia
$60Mexpected losses a year
14federal declarations
1 in 250homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Clayton County, Georgia has a moderate overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 87% of US counties. It ranks 7th of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $60 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $201 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (6 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2026 (Hurricane Isaias). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (312 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $3.3 million on 286 claims here, including $1.0 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 Clayton County

$30.2 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.
$12.7 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 10 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.
$6.4 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingModerate87.8
$30M
TornadoHigh95.8
$13M
Cold waveHigh89.7
$6M
EarthquakeLow84.9
$3M
HailModerate93.5
$2M
Strong windHigh89.4
$2M
Heat waveModerate83.8
$2M
LightningHigh90.0
$1M
Ice stormHigh85.4
$587K
HurricaneLow64.1
$305K
Winter weatherLow30.9
$29K
WildfireVery Low34.4
$18K
LandslideVery Low26.9
$218

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 very low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Hurricane5
Tornado2
Tropical Storm2
Drought1
Snowstorm1
Severe Storm1

Most recent

Oct 9, 2026Hurricane IsaiasEmergency
Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
Sep 15, 2017Hurricane IrmaMajor disaster
Sep 8, 2017Hurricane IrmaEmergency
Feb 11, 2014Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 18, 2004Hurricane IvanMajor disaster
Mar 11, 1998Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 10, 1995Hurricane OpalMajor disaster
Show all 14
Jul 7, 1994Tornadoes, Flooding Torrential Rain(Trop Storm Alberto)Major disaster
Mar 15, 1993Severe Snowfall, Winter StormEmergency
Jul 20, 1977DroughtEmergency
Apr 4, 1973Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1967

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 269 storm reports in Clayton County since 1967, with 2 deaths and 22 injuries and about $298 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on March 31, 1973.

13tornadoes
80hail reports, largest 3 inches
138damaging thunderstorm winds
18floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Mar 31, 1973F2–0 / 0
May 11, 2008EF2Morrow0 / 0
May 8, 1978F2–0 / 0
Aug 19, 1967F2–0 / 0
Apr 13, 1980F1–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Mar 31, 1973Tornado–$250M
May 11, 2008TornadoMorrow$8M
Feb 18, 2009HailJonesboro$6M
Jul 23, 2000Thunderstorm WindRiverdale$4M
May 8, 1978Tornado–$3M
Apr 13, 1980Tornado–$3M

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 27, 2025. 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 Clayton County, 1 of them since 1950. The strongest was Tropical Storm Eloise (1975), with top winds near 60 mph about 54 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
12tropical storms
1975most recent: Eloise

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 23, 1975EloiseTropical storm, 60 mph54 mi
Oct 3, 1893UnnamedTropical storm, 55 mph53 mi
Sep 10, 1882UnnamedTropical storm, 55 mph64 mi
Oct 3, 1898UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph60 mi
Sep 23, 1889UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph60 mi
Jul 8, 1896UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph63 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 23, 1975EloiseTropical storm, 60 mph54 mi
Sep 4, 1915UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph58 mi
Sep 15, 1903UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph64 mi
Oct 3, 1898UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph60 mi
Sep 1, 1898UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph62 mi
Jul 8, 1896UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph63 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 Clayton County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.4%of homes have federal flood insurance (312 policies)
22.4%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$3.3 millionpaid on 286 flood claims since 1978
2024costliest year, with $1 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 Clayton County

$222,300median home value (Georgia $303,300, US $332,700)
1989median year homes were built (Georgia 1992, US 1980)
35%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
2.7%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; 115,476 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
Fulton CountyHigh20
DeKalb CountyModerate16
Henry CountyLow15
Fayette CountyLow13
Spalding CountyVery Low17

Common questions about Clayton County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Clayton County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Clayton County, about $30.2 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $12.7 million.

How many federal disasters has Clayton County had?

Clayton County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 6 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Isaias in October 2026.

Is Clayton County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Moderate, 7th 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 Clayton County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 250 homes in Clayton 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 Clayton County had?

NOAA records list 13 tornadoes in Clayton County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on March 31, 1973. The weather service has also logged 80 hail reports and 18 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Clayton County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 12 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Clayton County. The strongest was Tropical Storm Eloise (1975), with winds near 60 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.