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Jones County, Georgia

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

Very Low overall risk
120th of 159highest risk in Georgia
$6Mexpected losses a year
15federal declarations
1 in 500homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Jones County, Georgia has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 84% of US counties. It ranks 120th of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and heat waves. FEMA estimates about $5.7 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $202 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (8 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 30 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $98,000 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 Jones County

$3 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.
$782,331 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.
$650,123 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 7 times a year.
  • Check that cooling works before summer.
  • Know where the nearest cooling center is.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingVery Low28.0
$3M
TornadoLow40.0
$782K
Heat waveLow64.6
$650K
Strong windLow28.1
$245K
HurricaneLow62.6
$244K
EarthquakeVery Low46.7
$210K
HailLow42.4
$176K
Cold waveVery Low14.9
$137K
DroughtLow46.3
$102K
WildfireVery Low60.1
$76K
LightningVery Low23.5
$74K
Ice stormLow40.1
$48K
Winter weatherVery Low3.8
$2K
LandslideVery Low36.1
$442

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 moderate 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 Jones County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane6
Tornado2
Severe Storm2
Severe Ice Storm2
Drought1
Tropical Storm1

Most recent

Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
Oct 14, 2018Hurricane MichaelMajor disaster
Oct 10, 2018Hurricane MichaelEmergency
Sep 15, 2017Hurricane IrmaMajor disaster
Sep 8, 2017Hurricane IrmaEmergency
Mar 6, 2014Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Feb 11, 2014Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 24, 2004Tropical Storm FrancesMajor disaster
Show all 15
Jan 28, 2000Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Mar 11, 1998Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 7, 1994Tornadoes, Flooding Torrential Rain(Trop Storm Alberto)Major disaster
Dec 1, 1992High Winds, Heavy Rains & TornadoesMajor disaster
Jul 20, 1977DroughtEmergency

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

Storm history since 1955

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 190 storm reports in Jones County since 1955, with 2 deaths and 17 injuries and about $10.5 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on December 26, 1964.

13tornadoes
42hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
117damaging thunderstorm winds
13floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Dec 26, 1964F3–16 / 2
Nov 22, 1992F2–1 / 0
May 21, 1955F1–0 / 0
Mar 1, 2007EF1Griswoldville0 / 0
Jan 2, 2006F1Wayside0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Dec 26, 1964Tornado–$3M
May 21, 1955Tornado–$3M
Nov 22, 1992Tornado–$3M
May 15, 1994Thunderstorm WindGray$500K
Mar 1, 2007TornadoGriswoldville$500K
Mar 15, 2008HailBlountsville$500K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Apr 10, 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, 2 hurricanes and 16 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Jones County, 3 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Helene (2024), with top winds near 75 mph about 51 miles away.

2hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
16tropical storms
2024most recent: Helene

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 2024HeleneCategory 1, 75 mph51 mi
Oct 11, 2018MichaelCategory 1, 75 mph63 mi
Aug 24, 1851UnnamedTropical storm, 70 mph58 mi
Aug 28, 1949UnnamedTropical storm, 70 mph57 mi
Aug 31, 1856UnnamedTropical storm, 70 mph59 mi
Oct 3, 1898UnnamedTropical storm, 65 mph59 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 2024HeleneCategory 1, 75 mph51 mi
Oct 11, 2018MichaelCategory 1, 75 mph63 mi
Jun 15, 1965UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph62 mi
Aug 28, 1949UnnamedTropical storm, 70 mph57 mi
Oct 7, 1941UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph63 mi
Aug 12, 1940UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph60 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 Jones County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (30 policies)
13.6%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$97,523paid on 10 flood claims since 1978
2023costliest year, with $58,769 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 Jones County

$194,500median home value (Georgia $303,300, US $332,700)
1991median year homes were built (Georgia 1992, US 1980)
30%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
24.9%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; 11,872 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
Bibb CountyLow14
Baldwin CountyLow12
Monroe CountyVery Low19
Putnam CountyLow13
Jasper CountyVery Low15
Wilkinson CountyVery Low14
Twiggs CountyVery Low15

Common questions about Jones County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Jones County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Jones County, about $3 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $782,331.

How many federal disasters has Jones County had?

Jones County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 8 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.

Is Jones County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 120th 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 Jones County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 500 homes in Jones 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 Jones County had?

NOAA records list 13 tornadoes in Jones County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on December 26, 1964. The weather service has also logged 42 hail reports and 13 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Jones County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 2 hurricanes and 16 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Jones County. The strongest was Hurricane Helene (2024), with winds near 75 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.