Home › Georgia › Elbert County

Elbert County, Georgia

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

Very Low overall risk
88th of 159highest risk in Georgia
$7Mexpected losses a year
14federal declarations
1 in 1000homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Elbert County, Georgia has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 69% of US counties. It ranks 88th of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, heat waves and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $6.9 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $351 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (6 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 6 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 Elbert County

$2.9 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.
$762,680 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 3 times a year.
  • Check that cooling works before summer.
  • Know where the nearest cooling center is.
$617,659 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 4 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
Inland floodingLow35.8
$3M
Heat waveLow74.1
$763K
TornadoLow40.9
$618K
EarthquakeLow71.6
$606K
Cold waveLow45.9
$557K
HurricaneLow72.2
$497K
Strong windLow35.5
$244K
Ice stormModerate77.9
$238K
HailLow54.7
$220K
DroughtLow54.8
$141K
LightningLow32.6
$83K
WildfireVery Low41.1
$20K
Winter weatherVery Low9.7
$5K
LandslideVery Low31.8
$246

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 Elbert County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane7
Severe Ice Storm2
Drought1
Snowstorm1
Severe Storm1
Tropical Storm1

Most recent

Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 30, 2024Hurricane HeleneMajor disaster
Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
Oct 10, 2018Hurricane MichaelEmergency
Sep 15, 2017Hurricane IrmaMajor disaster
Sep 8, 2017Hurricane IrmaEmergency
Apr 20, 2015Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Feb 11, 2014Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 24, 2004Tropical Storm FrancesMajor disaster
Show all 14
Sep 18, 2004Hurricane IvanMajor disaster
Jan 28, 2000Severe Winter StormMajor 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 232 storm reports in Elbert County since 1954, with 0 deaths and 35 injuries and about $1.7 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on March 31, 1954.

15tornadoes
60hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
130damaging thunderstorm winds
23floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Mar 31, 1954F2–20 / 0
May 6, 2003F2Bowman12 / 0
Mar 15, 2008EF2Elberton0 / 0
Mar 2, 1972F1–0 / 0
Sep 16, 2004F1Fortsonia1 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Mar 31, 1954Tornado–$250K
Mar 2, 1972Tornado–$250K
Oct 7, 2021Flash FloodBowman$250K
May 6, 2003TornadoBowman$200K
Sep 16, 2004TornadoFortsonia$100K
Mar 15, 2008TornadoElberton$100K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 5, 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 1852, 0 hurricanes and 13 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Elbert County, 3 of them since 1950. The strongest was Tropical Storm Helene (2024), with top winds near 65 mph about 52 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
13tropical storms
2024most recent: Helene

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 2024HeleneTropical storm, 65 mph52 mi
Aug 28, 1949UnnamedTropical storm, 65 mph64 mi
Oct 11, 2018MichaelTropical storm, 55 mph62 mi
Sep 24, 1889UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph59 mi
Oct 3, 1893UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph59 mi
Jul 15, 1916UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph63 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 2024HeleneTropical storm, 65 mph52 mi
Oct 11, 2018MichaelTropical storm, 55 mph62 mi
Aug 30, 1964CleoTropical storm, 40 mph61 mi
Aug 28, 1949UnnamedTropical storm, 65 mph64 mi
Jul 15, 1916UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph63 mi
Sep 18, 1906UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph56 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 Elbert County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.1%of homes have federal flood insurance (6 policies)
3%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$13,732paid on 5 flood claims since 1978
1983costliest year, with $6,954 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 Elbert County

$142,000median home value (Georgia $303,300, US $332,700)
1979median year homes were built (Georgia 1992, US 1980)
52%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
22.3%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; 9,426 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
Anderson County, SCModerate19
Madison CountyVery Low13
Hart CountyVery Low12
Abbeville County, SCLow19
Oglethorpe CountyVery Low13
Wilkes CountyVery Low15
McCormick County, SCVery Low19
Lincoln CountyVery Low11

Common questions about Elbert County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Elbert County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Elbert County, about $2.9 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Heat wave is second at $762,680.

How many federal disasters has Elbert County had?

Elbert County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 6 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.

Is Elbert County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 88th 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 Elbert County?

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

NOAA records list 15 tornadoes in Elbert County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on March 31, 1954. The weather service has also logged 60 hail reports and 23 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Elbert County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 13 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Elbert County. The strongest was Tropical Storm Helene (2024), with winds near 65 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.