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Dade County, Georgia

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

Very Low overall risk
85th of 159highest risk in Georgia
$8Mexpected losses a year
19federal declarations
1 in 250homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Dade County, Georgia has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 67% of US counties. It ranks 85th of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $8.4 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $519 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (10 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2026 (Hurricane Isaias). Only 26 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 Dade County

$3.5 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.

Tornado

Moderate
$2.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 7 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.

Cold wave

Moderate
$1.4 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 2 times 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 floodingLow37.3
$3M
TornadoModerate74.0
$2M
Cold waveModerate65.7
$1M
Strong windModerate52.8
$475K
EarthquakeVery Low56.4
$306K
DroughtLow45.5
$82K
Heat waveVery Low24.6
$74K
LightningLow25.3
$71K
Winter weatherLow50.4
$51K
Ice stormLow42.9
$48K
HailVery Low17.4
$48K
WildfireVery Low50.0
$37K
HurricaneVery Low38.1
$21K
LandslideLow69.8
$5K

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 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 Dade County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane5
Severe Storm4
Tornado2
Severe Ice Storm2
Tropical Storm2
Drought1

Most recent

Oct 9, 2026Hurricane IsaiasEmergency
Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
Sep 15, 2017Hurricane IrmaMajor disaster
Sep 8, 2017Hurricane IrmaEmergency
Nov 13, 2016Tatum Gulf FireFire management
Feb 26, 2016Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 6, 2014Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Feb 11, 2014Severe Winter StormEmergency
Apr 29, 2011Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Associated FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 19
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 18, 2004Hurricane IvanMajor disaster
Mar 11, 1998Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 10, 1995Hurricane OpalMajor disaster
Mar 15, 1993Severe Snowfall, Winter StormEmergency
Dec 1, 1992High Winds, Heavy Rains & TornadoesMajor disaster
Feb 23, 1990Severe Storms, Tornaodes & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 20, 1977DroughtEmergency
Apr 4, 1973Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1984

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 222 storm reports in Dade County since 1984, with 2 deaths and 29 injuries and about $27.3 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF3 tornado on April 27, 2011 near Gass.

9tornadoes
68hail reports, largest 2.5 inches
119damaging thunderstorm winds
20floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 27, 2011EF3Gass25 / 2
Nov 22, 1992F2–0 / 0
Apr 27, 2011EF1Gass0 / 0
Apr 12, 2020EF1Gass0 / 0
Oct 25, 2010EF1Sulphur Spgs Station0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 27, 2011TornadoGass$20M
Apr 27, 2011TornadoGass$1M
Dec 25, 2015Flash FloodRising Fawn$1M
Dec 25, 2015Flash FloodWildwood$800K
Apr 12, 2020TornadoGass$700K
Apr 27, 2011Thunderstorm WindTrenton$500K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through May 25, 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 1892, 0 hurricanes and 4 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Dade County, 2 of them since 1950. The strongest was Tropical Storm Zeta (2020), with top winds near 60 mph about 56 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
4tropical storms
2020most recent: Zeta

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 29, 2020ZetaTropical storm, 60 mph56 mi
Sep 23, 1975EloiseTropical storm, 60 mph62 mi
Sep 13, 1892UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph52 mi
Sep 5, 1915UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph62 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 29, 2020ZetaTropical storm, 60 mph56 mi
Sep 23, 1975EloiseTropical storm, 60 mph62 mi
Sep 5, 1915UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph62 mi
Sep 13, 1892UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph52 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 Dade County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.4%of homes have federal flood insurance (26 policies)
9%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$108,696paid on 9 flood claims since 1978
2004costliest year, with $83,139 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 Dade County

$198,500median home value (Georgia $303,300, US $332,700)
1987median year homes were built (Georgia 1992, US 1980)
38%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
17.6%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; 7,431 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
Hamilton County, TNModerate23
DeKalb County, ALLow32
Walker CountyLow18
Jackson County, ALLow26
Marion County, TNLow23

Common questions about Dade County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Dade County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Dade County, about $3.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $2.3 million.

How many federal disasters has Dade County had?

Dade County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 10 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Isaias in October 2026.

Is Dade County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 85th 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 Dade County?

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

NOAA records list 9 tornadoes in Dade County since 1950. The strongest was an EF3 tornado on April 27, 2011 near Gass. The weather service has also logged 68 hail reports and 20 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Dade County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 4 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Dade County. The strongest was Tropical Storm Zeta (2020), 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.