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Jenkins County, Georgia

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

Very Low overall risk
130th of 159highest risk in Georgia
$4Mexpected losses a year
19federal declarations
1 in 200homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Jenkins County, Georgia has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 89% of US counties. It ranks 130th of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, hurricanes and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $3.9 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $446 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (10 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 21 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $61,000 on 10 claims here.

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

Top risks in Jenkins County

$1.4 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 7 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.
$792,833 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.
$409,672 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
Inland floodingVery Low15.0
$1M
HurricaneLow75.3
$793K
TornadoLow30.7
$410K
DroughtModerate67.1
$336K
EarthquakeVery Low56.0
$293K
Heat waveLow44.5
$219K
Cold waveVery Low19.2
$162K
Strong windLow19.1
$130K
HailVery Low17.2
$46K
LightningVery Low16.1
$42K
WildfireVery Low32.1
$13K
Ice stormVery Low14.9
$7K
Winter weatherVery Low5.9
$3K
LandslideVery Low9.0
$17

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 Jenkins County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane9
Tropical Storm3
Severe Storm2
Severe Ice Storm2
Drought1
Flood1

Most recent

Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
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
Show all 19
Oct 8, 2016Hurricane MatthewMajor disaster
Oct 6, 2016Hurricane MatthewEmergency
Mar 6, 2014Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Feb 11, 2014Severe Winter StormEmergency
May 23, 2008Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Mar 11, 1998Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 19, 1990Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 20, 1977DroughtEmergency

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

Storm history since 1971

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 157 storm reports in Jenkins County since 1971, with 0 deaths and 2 injuries and about $2 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on March 16, 1976.

9tornadoes
23hail reports, largest 1.75 inches
118damaging thunderstorm winds
6floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Mar 16, 1976F2–0 / 0
Mar 16, 1976F2–0 / 0
Jan 11, 1972F1–0 / 0
May 12, 1971F1–0 / 0
Jul 1, 2003F1Scarboro0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
May 11, 2008Thunderstorm WindParamore Station$780K
Mar 16, 1976Tornado–$250K
Mar 16, 1976Tornado–$250K
Aug 6, 2024Flash FloodMillen Arpt$250K
May 27, 2006Thunderstorm WindMillen$100K
Jan 2, 2006TornadoMillen$50K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Apr 2, 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, 8 hurricanes and 35 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Jenkins County, 13 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1893, with top winds near 100 mph about 53 miles away.

8hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
35tropical storms
2023most recent: Idalia

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 28, 1893UnnamedCategory 2, 100 mph53 mi
Sep 29, 1896UnnamedCategory 2, 100 mph61 mi
Sep 9, 1854UnnamedCategory 1, 90 mph62 mi
Aug 28, 1881UnnamedCategory 1, 80 mph62 mi
Sep 4, 1979DavidCategory 1, 80 mph59 mi
Aug 11, 1940UnnamedCategory 1, 80 mph61 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 30, 2023IdaliaTropical storm, 65 mph62 mi
Jul 8, 2021ElsaTropical storm, 50 mph65 mi
Oct 11, 2018MichaelTropical storm, 55 mph59 mi
Sep 16, 2018FlorenceTropical storm, 40 mph62 mi
Sep 2, 2016HermineTropical storm, 60 mph62 mi
May 30, 2012BerylTropical storm, 35 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 Jenkins County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.5%of homes have federal flood insurance (21 policies)
7.4%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$60,817paid on 10 flood claims since 1978
1992costliest year, with $37,333 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 Jenkins County

$92,900median home value (Georgia $303,300, US $332,700)
1979median year homes were built (Georgia 1992, US 1980)
53%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
29.7%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; 4,387 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
Bulloch CountyLow20
Burke CountyVery Low18
Emanuel CountyVery Low20
Screven CountyLow19

Common questions about Jenkins County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Jenkins County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Jenkins County, about $1.4 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hurricane is second at $792,833.

How many federal disasters has Jenkins County had?

Jenkins County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 10 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.

Is Jenkins County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 130th 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 Jenkins County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 200 homes in Jenkins 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 Jenkins County had?

NOAA records list 9 tornadoes in Jenkins County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on March 16, 1976. The weather service has also logged 23 hail reports and 6 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Jenkins County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 8 hurricanes and 35 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Jenkins County. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1893, with winds near 100 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.