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Franklin County, Georgia

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

Very Low overall risk
86th of 159highest risk in Georgia
$8Mexpected losses a year
14federal declarations
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Franklin 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 86th of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $8.2 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $350 per resident. Since 1976 it has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (7 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 5 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 Franklin County

$4.1 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.
$1.1 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.
$979,701 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 5 years.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow43.1
$4M
TornadoLow53.8
$1M
Cold waveLow57.6
$980K
EarthquakeLow63.1
$417K
HurricaneLow68.6
$404K
HailLow59.3
$284K
Ice stormModerate76.0
$238K
Strong windLow31.3
$234K
LightningLow51.0
$186K
Heat waveVery Low37.3
$155K
DroughtLow41.3
$58K
WildfireVery Low27.6
$10K
Winter weatherVery Low11.2
$7K
LandslideVery Low39.7
$497

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 relatively low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Hurricane6
Severe Ice Storm2
Flood1
Drought1
Snowstorm1
Severe Storm1

Most recent

Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 30, 2024Hurricane HeleneMajor disaster
Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
Jan 12, 2021Tropical Storm ZetaMajor disaster
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 18, 2004Hurricane IvanMajor disaster
Show all 14
Jan 28, 2000Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Mar 15, 1993Severe Snowfall, Winter StormEmergency
Jul 20, 1977DroughtEmergency
Jun 11, 1976Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1952

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 189 storm reports in Franklin County since 1952, with 1 death and 4 injuries and about $2.1 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on September 16, 2004 near Franklin Spgs.

13tornadoes
41hail reports, largest 1.75 inches
122damaging thunderstorm winds
10floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Sep 16, 2004F2Franklin Spgs1 / 1
Sep 16, 2004F2Franklin Spgs0 / 0
Apr 9, 1970F2–0 / 0
Feb 29, 1952F2–0 / 0
Apr 10, 2009EF2Red Hill0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Sep 16, 2004TornadoFranklin Spgs$1M
Apr 9, 1970Tornado–$250K
May 28, 1973Tornado–$250K
May 6, 2003TornadoSandy Cross$100K
Apr 13, 2020Thunderstorm WindPlainview$100K
Sep 16, 2004TornadoFranklin Spgs$75K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Mar 16, 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 1859, 0 hurricanes and 8 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Franklin County, 1 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1949, with top winds near 60 mph about 61 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
8tropical storms
2024most recent: Helene

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 28, 1949UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph61 mi
Sep 27, 2024HeleneTropical storm, 60 mph50 mi
Sep 24, 1889UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph63 mi
Oct 3, 1893UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph63 mi
Jul 15, 1916UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph63 mi
Sep 10, 1882UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph56 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 2024HeleneTropical storm, 60 mph50 mi
Aug 28, 1949UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph61 mi
Jul 15, 1916UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph63 mi
Jul 8, 1896UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph61 mi
Oct 3, 1893UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph63 mi
Sep 24, 1889UnnamedTropical 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 Franklin County

Check your address flood zone ›
0%of homes have federal flood insurance (5 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$12,218paid on 1 flood claims since 1978
2015costliest year, with $12,218 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 Franklin County

$179,000median home value (Georgia $303,300, US $332,700)
1989median year homes were built (Georgia 1992, US 1980)
36%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
29.1%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; 10,905 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
Oconee County, SCModerate22
Madison CountyVery Low13
Stephens CountyVery Low16
Hart CountyVery Low12
Banks CountyVery Low16

Common questions about Franklin County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Franklin County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Franklin County, about $4.1 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $1.1 million.

How many federal disasters has Franklin County had?

Franklin County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1976, including 7 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.

Is Franklin County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 86th 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 Franklin County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.

How many tornadoes has Franklin County had?

NOAA records list 13 tornadoes in Franklin County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on September 16, 2004 near Franklin Spgs. The weather service has also logged 41 hail reports and 10 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Franklin County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 8 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Franklin County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1949, 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.