Home › Georgia › Fulton County

Fulton County, Georgia

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

Relatively High overall risk
2nd of 159highest risk in Georgia
$235Mexpected losses a year
20federal declarations
1 in 125homes with flood insurance
Photo: Chuck Koehler from Cartersville, GA, USA, CC BY 2.0

Fulton County, Georgia has a relatively high overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 96% of US counties. It ranks 2nd of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, earthquakes and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $235 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $220 per resident. Since 1975 it has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (12 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2026 (Hurricane Isaias). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (2,308 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $95 million on 3,100 claims here, including $39 million for floods in 2009.

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

Top risks in Fulton County

$164 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 3 times 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.

Earthquake

Moderate
$22.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 460 years.
  • Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
  • Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
$21.7 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 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 floodingHigh97.7
$164M
EarthquakeModerate96.0
$22M
TornadoHigh97.0
$22M
Cold waveHigh89.8
$8M
Heat waveModerate92.4
$5M
HailHigh95.9
$4M
LightningVery High98.3
$4M
Strong windHigh93.6
$3M
Ice stormHigh90.6
$1M
HurricaneLow74.9
$1M
Winter weatherModerate72.4
$171K
LandslideModerate91.0
$75K
WildfireVery Low52.9
$65K

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 low and community resilience is relatively high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Hurricane6
Severe Storm5
Tornado2
Severe Ice Storm2
Tropical Storm2
Drought1

Most recent

Oct 9, 2026Hurricane IsaiasEmergency
Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 30, 2024Hurricane HeleneMajor disaster
Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
Sep 15, 2017Hurricane IrmaMajor disaster
Sep 8, 2017Hurricane IrmaEmergency
Mar 6, 2014Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Feb 11, 2014Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 24, 2009Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 20, 2008Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Show all 20
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 18, 2004Hurricane IvanMajor disaster
Jan 28, 2000Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Mar 11, 1998Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 10, 1995Hurricane OpalMajor disaster
Jul 7, 1994Tornadoes, Flooding Torrential Rain(Trop Storm Alberto)Major disaster
Mar 15, 1993Severe Snowfall, Winter StormEmergency
Feb 23, 1990Severe Storms, Tornaodes & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 20, 1977DroughtEmergency
Mar 29, 1975Tornadoes, High Winds & Heavy RainsMajor disaster

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 900 storm reports in Fulton County since 1954, with 19 deaths and 286 injuries and about $463 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on March 24, 1975.

38tornadoes
239hail reports, largest 3.25 inches
464damaging thunderstorm winds
116floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Mar 24, 1975F3–152 / 3
Jan 10, 1972F3–9 / 1
May 27, 1973F3–0 / 0
Mar 14, 2008EF2Atlanta30 / 1
Dec 5, 1954F2–40 / 1

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Mar 24, 1975Tornado–$250M
Sep 21, 2009FloodRico$48M
Mar 14, 2008TornadoAtlanta$25M
Sep 21, 2009FloodRico$22M
Sep 16, 2004Flash FloodCountywide$20M
Apr 8, 1998TornadoSandy Spgs$10M

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 1852, 0 hurricanes and 11 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Fulton County, 2 of them since 1950. The strongest was Tropical Storm Eloise (1975), with top winds near 60 mph about 50 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
11tropical storms
2020most recent: Zeta

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 23, 1975EloiseTropical storm, 60 mph50 mi
Oct 29, 2020ZetaTropical storm, 60 mph65 mi
Oct 3, 1893UnnamedTropical storm, 55 mph53 mi
Oct 3, 1898UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph57 mi
Sep 10, 1882UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph59 mi
Sep 16, 1859UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph51 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 29, 2020ZetaTropical storm, 60 mph65 mi
Sep 23, 1975EloiseTropical storm, 60 mph50 mi
Sep 4, 1915UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph52 mi
Sep 15, 1903UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph62 mi
Oct 3, 1898UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph57 mi
Jul 8, 1896UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph65 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 Fulton County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.8%of homes have federal flood insurance (2,308 policies)
40.2%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$95.2 millionpaid on 3,100 flood claims since 1978
2009costliest year, with $39.4 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 Fulton County

$458,800median home value (Georgia $303,300, US $332,700)
1993median year homes were built (Georgia 1992, US 1980)
33%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
0.4%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; 507,119 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
Gwinnett CountyHigh13
Cobb CountyHigh18
DeKalb CountyModerate16
Clayton CountyModerate14
Cherokee CountyModerate18
Forsyth CountyModerate16
Coweta CountyLow14
Douglas CountyLow17

Common questions about Fulton County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Fulton County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Fulton County, about $164 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Earthquake is second at $22.1 million.

How many federal disasters has Fulton County had?

Fulton County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1975, including 12 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Isaias in October 2026.

Is Fulton County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively High, 2nd 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 Fulton County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 125 homes in Fulton 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 Fulton County had?

NOAA records list 38 tornadoes in Fulton County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on March 24, 1975. The weather service has also logged 239 hail reports and 116 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Fulton County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 11 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Fulton County. The strongest was Tropical Storm Eloise (1975), 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.