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Dodge County, Georgia

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

Relatively Low overall risk
66th of 159highest risk in Georgia
$10Mexpected losses a year
15federal declarations
1 in 1000homes with flood insurance
Photo: Bold Frontiers, CC BY 2.0

Dodge County, Georgia has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 55% of US counties. It ranks 66th of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are cold waves, inland flooding and hurricanes. FEMA estimates about $10.0 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $502 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (7 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 7 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 Dodge County

Cold wave

Moderate
$3.8 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 4 years.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
$2.6 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.
$1.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 6 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
Cold waveModerate86.1
$4M
Inland floodingVery Low31.6
$3M
HurricaneLow79.7
$1M
Heat waveLow70.1
$645K
DroughtModerate77.7
$567K
TornadoLow30.3
$367K
EarthquakeVery Low51.2
$207K
Strong windLow29.8
$204K
LightningLow47.0
$147K
HailVery Low28.9
$79K
WildfireVery Low60.8
$62K
Ice stormVery Low24.2
$16K
Winter weatherVery Low5.4
$3K
LandslideVery Low9.6
$18

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 Dodge County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane7
Severe Storm2
Tropical Storm2
Drought1
Snowstorm1
Tornado1

Most recent

Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 30, 2024Hurricane HeleneMajor disaster
Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
Aug 5, 2024Hurricane DebbyEmergency
Oct 14, 2018Hurricane MichaelMajor disaster
Oct 10, 2018Hurricane MichaelEmergency
Sep 15, 2017Hurricane IrmaMajor disaster
Sep 8, 2017Hurricane IrmaEmergency
Apr 23, 2009Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Show all 15
Sep 24, 2004Tropical Storm FrancesMajor disaster
Mar 11, 1998Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 7, 1994Tornadoes, Flooding Torrential Rain(Trop Storm Alberto)Major 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 1954

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 207 storm reports in Dodge County since 1954, with 2 deaths and 11 injuries and about $3.4 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on November 8, 1996 near Chester.

18tornadoes
35hail reports, largest 1.75 inches
139damaging thunderstorm winds
10floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Nov 8, 1996F2Chester6 / 1
Apr 5, 2011EF2Dubois2 / 1
Apr 15, 2007EF2Eastman0 / 0
Nov 28, 1958F2–1 / 0
Apr 15, 2007EF1Eastman2 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 15, 2007TornadoEastman$500K
Apr 15, 2007TornadoEastman$350K
Nov 28, 1958Tornado–$250K
Mar 21, 1980Tornado–$250K
Mar 27, 2005Flash FloodCountywide$250K
Nov 8, 1996TornadoChester$200K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jan 21, 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 35 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Dodge County, 13 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Helene (2024), with top winds near 90 mph about 60 miles away.

10hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
35tropical storms
2024most recent: Helene

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 2024HeleneCategory 1, 90 mph60 mi
Oct 2, 1898UnnamedCategory 1, 90 mph62 mi
Oct 9, 1894UnnamedCategory 1, 85 mph60 mi
Oct 11, 2018MichaelCategory 1, 80 mph55 mi
Aug 24, 1851UnnamedCategory 1, 80 mph52 mi
Oct 15, 1947UnnamedCategory 1, 75 mph55 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 2024HeleneCategory 1, 90 mph60 mi
Aug 30, 2023IdaliaTropical storm, 70 mph60 mi
Jul 7, 2021ElsaTropical storm, 50 mph63 mi
Oct 11, 2018MichaelCategory 1, 80 mph55 mi
Sep 2, 2016HermineTropical storm, 60 mph63 mi
Jun 13, 2006AlbertoTropical storm, 40 mph64 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 Dodge County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.1%of homes have federal flood insurance (7 policies)
7.5%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$0paid on 1 flood claims since 1978
2017costliest year

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 Dodge County

$118,100median home value (Georgia $303,300, US $332,700)
1983median year homes were built (Georgia 1992, US 1980)
44%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
26.6%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; 8,587 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
Laurens CountyLow17
Bleckley CountyVery Low14
Telfair CountyVery Low16
Pulaski CountyVery Low14
Wilcox CountyVery Low16
Wheeler CountyVery Low16

Common questions about Dodge County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Dodge County?

Cold wave has the highest expected yearly losses in Dodge County, about $3.8 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $2.6 million.

How many federal disasters has Dodge County had?

Dodge County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 7 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.

Is Dodge County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 66th 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 Dodge County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Dodge 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 Dodge County had?

NOAA records list 18 tornadoes in Dodge County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on November 8, 1996 near Chester. The weather service has also logged 35 hail reports and 10 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Dodge County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 10 hurricanes and 35 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Dodge County. The strongest was Hurricane Helene (2024), with winds near 90 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.