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Crisp County, Georgia

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

Relatively Low overall risk
55th of 159highest risk in Georgia
$11Mexpected losses a year
15federal declarations
1 in 53homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Crisp County, Georgia has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 52% of US counties. It ranks 55th of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and hurricanes. FEMA estimates about $11 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $554 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (9 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2024 (Hurricane Helene). About 1 in 53 homes here carry federal flood insurance (174 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $2.2 million on 70 claims here, including $1.1 million for floods in 2020.

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

Top risks in Crisp County

$5.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • 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
$1.9 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 6 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.
$1.3 million 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow56.7
$5M
TornadoModerate74.2
$2M
HurricaneLow80.4
$1M
DroughtModerate88.9
$998K
Strong windModerate58.7
$458K
EarthquakeLow63.6
$363K
Heat waveLow58.8
$359K
LightningLow52.2
$164K
HailLow42.2
$126K
WildfireVery Low61.1
$59K
Cold waveVery Low7.5
$30K
Ice stormVery Low15.3
$6K
Winter weatherVery Low6.0
$3K
LandslideVery Low8.9
$14

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 relatively low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Hurricane7
Severe Storm3
Tornado2
Tropical Storm2
Drought1

Most recent

Sep 30, 2024Hurricane HeleneMajor disaster
Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
Aug 5, 2024Hurricane DebbyEmergency
Jan 16, 2023Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and TornadoesMajor disaster
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
Apr 23, 2009Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Show all 15
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 24, 2004Tropical Storm FrancesMajor disaster
Mar 11, 1998Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 7, 1994Tornadoes, Flooding Torrential Rain(Trop Storm Alberto)Major disaster
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 204 storm reports in Crisp County since 1956, with 1 death and 8 injuries and about $3.9 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on November 28, 1958.

11tornadoes
43hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
122damaging thunderstorm winds
22floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Nov 28, 1958F2–0 / 0
Dec 25, 1964F2–0 / 0
Apr 10, 2009EF1Coney0 / 0
May 23, 2017EF1Arabi2 / 0
Apr 15, 2007EF1Arabi0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 2, 2009FloodMarshall$1M
Apr 10, 2009TornadoConey$500K
Mar 3, 2001Thunderstorm WindConey$250K
Aug 15, 2013LightningCordele$200K
Mar 26, 2011HailRaines$175K
Jun 17, 2016Thunderstorm WindCordele$100K

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 1851, 10 hurricanes and 34 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Crisp County, 13 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Helene (2024), with top winds near 100 mph about 64 miles away.

10hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
34tropical storms
2024most recent: Helene

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 2024HeleneCategory 2, 100 mph64 mi
Oct 10, 2018MichaelCategory 1, 90 mph52 mi
Oct 9, 1894UnnamedCategory 1, 90 mph50 mi
Aug 24, 1851UnnamedCategory 1, 90 mph59 mi
Nov 22, 1985KateCategory 1, 80 mph61 mi
Oct 10, 1852UnnamedCategory 1, 80 mph58 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 2024HeleneCategory 2, 100 mph64 mi
Oct 10, 2018MichaelCategory 1, 90 mph52 mi
Sep 11, 2017IrmaTropical storm, 50 mph59 mi
Sep 2, 2016HermineTropical storm, 60 mph65 mi
Oct 6, 2005TammyTropical storm, 40 mph54 mi
Sep 27, 2004JeanneTropical storm, 40 mph57 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 Crisp County

Check your address flood zone ›
1.9%of homes have federal flood insurance (174 policies)
21.6%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$2.2 millionpaid on 70 flood claims since 1978
2020costliest year, with $1.1 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 Crisp County

$140,200median home value (Georgia $303,300, US $332,700)
1984median year homes were built (Georgia 1992, US 1980)
45%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
19.6%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; 9,909 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
Lee CountyVery Low13
Sumter CountyLow13
Worth CountyVery Low18
Dooly CountyVery Low15
Turner CountyVery Low14
Wilcox CountyVery Low16

Common questions about Crisp County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Crisp County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Crisp County, about $5.3 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $1.9 million.

How many federal disasters has Crisp County had?

Crisp County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 9 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Helene in September 2024.

Is Crisp County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 55th 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 Crisp County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 53 homes in Crisp 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 Crisp County had?

NOAA records list 11 tornadoes in Crisp County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on November 28, 1958. The weather service has also logged 43 hail reports and 22 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Crisp County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 10 hurricanes and 34 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Crisp County. The strongest was Hurricane Helene (2024), with winds near 100 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.