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Lamar County, Georgia

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

Very Low overall risk
142nd of 159highest risk in Georgia
$4Mexpected losses a year
17federal declarations
1 in 500homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Lamar County, Georgia has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 92% of US counties. It ranks 142nd of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and hurricanes. FEMA estimates about $3.8 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $207 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (10 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 12 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 Lamar County

$1.7 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.
$624,461 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 9 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.
$323,605 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 15 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingVery Low15.2
$2M
TornadoLow34.7
$624K
HurricaneLow64.9
$324K
Strong windLow31.2
$282K
Heat waveLow39.0
$204K
HailLow39.4
$162K
DroughtLow52.2
$158K
EarthquakeVery Low40.1
$144K
LightningLow31.1
$106K
Cold waveVery Low8.0
$49K
Ice stormVery Low26.6
$24K
WildfireVery Low34.9
$18K
Winter weatherVery Low4.1
$3K
LandslideVery Low12.6
$40

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 Lamar County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane6
Severe Storm5
Severe Ice Storm2
Drought1
Tornado1
Tropical Storm1

Most recent

Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 30, 2024Hurricane HeleneMajor disaster
Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
Oct 10, 2018Hurricane MichaelEmergency
Sep 15, 2017Hurricane IrmaMajor disaster
Sep 8, 2017Hurricane IrmaEmergency
Feb 26, 2016Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 6, 2014Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Feb 11, 2014Severe Winter StormEmergency
Apr 29, 2011Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Associated FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 17
Apr 23, 2009Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 24, 2004Tropical Storm FrancesMajor disaster
Jan 28, 2000Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Mar 11, 1998Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 7, 1994Tornadoes, Flooding Torrential Rain(Trop Storm Alberto)Major disaster
Jul 20, 1977DroughtEmergency

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

Storm history since 1950

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 130 storm reports in Lamar County since 1950, with 2 deaths and 14 injuries and about $11.4 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF3 tornado on April 27, 2011 near Piedmont.

14tornadoes
27hail reports, largest 2 inches
78damaging thunderstorm winds
9floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 27, 2011EF3Piedmont12 / 2
May 3, 1956F2–1 / 0
Apr 14, 2019EF1Milner0 / 0
Apr 3, 2000F1Milner1 / 0
Nov 23, 2014EF1Liberty Hill0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 27, 2011TornadoPiedmont$10M
May 3, 1956Tornado–$250K
Jan 21, 2012HailBarnesville$240K
Apr 14, 2019TornadoMilner$200K
Aug 20, 1999LightningMilner$100K
Jun 10, 2014Thunderstorm WindBarnesville$100K

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 16 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Lamar County, 3 of them since 1950. The strongest was Tropical Storm Helene (2024), with top winds near 70 mph about 62 miles away.

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

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 2024HeleneTropical storm, 70 mph62 mi
Oct 11, 2018MichaelTropical storm, 70 mph57 mi
Oct 3, 1898UnnamedTropical storm, 65 mph61 mi
Sep 10, 1882UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph51 mi
Jul 8, 1896UnnamedTropical storm, 55 mph59 mi
Oct 3, 1893UnnamedTropical storm, 55 mph49 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 2024HeleneTropical storm, 70 mph62 mi
Oct 11, 2018MichaelTropical storm, 70 mph57 mi
Jun 15, 1965UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph54 mi
Aug 12, 1940UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph60 mi
Sep 4, 1915UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph56 mi
Sep 15, 1903UnnamedTropical 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 Lamar County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (12 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$195,644paid on 5 flood claims since 1978
2024costliest year, with $132,889 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 Lamar County

$216,500median home value (Georgia $303,300, US $332,700)
1988median year homes were built (Georgia 1992, US 1980)
43%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
17.4%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; 7,866 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
Spalding CountyVery Low17
Monroe CountyVery Low19
Upson CountyVery Low21
Butts CountyVery Low17
Pike CountyVery Low20

Common questions about Lamar County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Lamar County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Lamar County, about $1.7 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $624,461.

How many federal disasters has Lamar County had?

Lamar County has been included in 17 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 Lamar County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 142nd 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 Lamar County?

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

NOAA records list 14 tornadoes in Lamar County since 1950. The strongest was an EF3 tornado on April 27, 2011 near Piedmont. The weather service has also logged 27 hail reports and 9 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Lamar County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 16 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Lamar County. The strongest was Tropical Storm Helene (2024), with winds near 70 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.