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Jeff Davis County, Georgia

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

Very Low overall risk
92nd of 159highest risk in Georgia
$6Mexpected losses a year
18federal declarations
1 in 333homes with flood insurance
Photo: CC0

Jeff Davis County, Georgia has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 72% of US counties. It ranks 92nd of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are hurricanes, inland flooding and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $6.4 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $434 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (10 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2024 (Hurricane Helene). Only 18 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $48,000 on 11 claims here.

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

Top risks in Jeff Davis County

Hurricane

Moderate
$2.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 4 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.
$1.8 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 4 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.
$897,304 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 6 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
HurricaneModerate83.9
$2M
Inland floodingVery Low21.9
$2M
TornadoLow51.4
$897K
Cold waveLow38.9
$435K
DroughtModerate69.1
$343K
EarthquakeVery Low50.2
$191K
Heat waveLow40.9
$165K
LightningLow42.9
$124K
Strong windLow19.3
$116K
HailVery Low23.0
$58K
WildfireVery Low50.1
$33K
Winter weatherVery Low3.9
$2K
Ice stormVery Low1.9
$524
LandslideVery Low7.5
$11

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 very low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Hurricane9
Severe Storm3
Tropical Storm3
Drought1
Flood1
Snowstorm1

Most recent

Sep 30, 2024Hurricane HeleneMajor disaster
Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
Sep 24, 2024Tropical Storm DebbyMajor disaster
Aug 5, 2024Hurricane DebbyEmergency
Sep 7, 2023Hurricane IdaliaMajor disaster
Oct 14, 2018Hurricane MichaelMajor disaster
Oct 10, 2018Hurricane MichaelEmergency
Sep 15, 2017Hurricane IrmaMajor disaster
Sep 8, 2017Hurricane IrmaEmergency
Oct 6, 2016Hurricane MatthewEmergency
Show all 18
Feb 26, 2016Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 23, 2009Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 24, 2004Tropical Storm FrancesMajor disaster
Mar 11, 1998Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 15, 1993Severe Snowfall, Winter StormEmergency
Mar 15, 1991Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 20, 1977DroughtEmergency

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

Storm history since 1963

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 186 storm reports in Jeff Davis County since 1963 and about $539,500 in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F1 tornado on January 20, 1963.

8tornadoes
39hail reports, largest 1.75 inches
113damaging thunderstorm winds
13floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jan 20, 1963F1–0 / 0
Jun 20, 1977F1–0 / 0
Jul 29, 1987F1–0 / 0
May 4, 2017EF1Brooker0 / 0
Dec 30, 2021EF1Denton0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jan 20, 1963Tornado–$250K
Jul 6, 2002Thunderstorm WindHazelhurst$80K
Jun 20, 1977Tornado–$25K
Jul 29, 1987Tornado–$25K
Jul 20, 2015LightningDenton$20K
Nov 7, 1995Thunderstorm WindHazlehurst$15K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 20, 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 1851, 11 hurricanes and 47 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Jeff Davis County, 15 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1896, with top winds near 105 mph about 61 miles away.

11hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
47tropical storms
2024most recent: Helene

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 29, 1896UnnamedCategory 2, 105 mph61 mi
Oct 2, 1898UnnamedCategory 2, 100 mph54 mi
Sep 27, 2024HeleneCategory 2, 100 mph64 mi
Oct 15, 1947UnnamedCategory 1, 90 mph51 mi
Aug 28, 1881UnnamedCategory 1, 90 mph59 mi
Oct 9, 1894UnnamedCategory 1, 85 mph63 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 2024HeleneCategory 2, 100 mph64 mi
Aug 6, 2024DebbyTropical storm, 50 mph63 mi
Aug 30, 2023IdaliaCategory 1, 85 mph57 mi
Jul 7, 2021ElsaTropical storm, 50 mph52 mi
Sep 2, 2016HermineTropical storm, 60 mph55 mi
Jun 13, 2006AlbertoTropical storm, 40 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 Jeff Davis County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.3%of homes have federal flood insurance (18 policies)
12.5%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$48,325paid on 11 flood claims since 1978
2017costliest year, with $20,617 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 Jeff Davis County

$118,300median home value (Georgia $303,300, US $332,700)
1986median year homes were built (Georgia 1992, US 1980)
41%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
33.8%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; 6,399 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
Coffee CountyLow19
Toombs CountyVery Low21
Appling CountyLow18
Telfair CountyVery Low16
Bacon CountyVery Low17
Montgomery CountyVery Low19
Wheeler CountyVery Low16

Common questions about Jeff Davis County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Jeff Davis County?

Hurricane has the highest expected yearly losses in Jeff Davis County, about $2.2 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $1.8 million.

How many federal disasters has Jeff Davis County had?

Jeff Davis County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 10 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Helene in September 2024.

Is Jeff Davis County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 92nd 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 Jeff Davis County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 333 homes in Jeff Davis 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 Jeff Davis County had?

NOAA records list 8 tornadoes in Jeff Davis County since 1950. The strongest was an F1 tornado on January 20, 1963. The weather service has also logged 39 hail reports and 13 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Jeff Davis County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 11 hurricanes and 47 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Jeff Davis County. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1896, with winds near 105 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.