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Liberty County, Georgia

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

Relatively Moderate overall risk
12th of 159highest risk in Georgia
$68Mexpected losses a year
16federal declarations
1 in 15homes with flood insurance
Photo: CC0

Liberty County, Georgia has a moderate overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 83% of US counties. It ranks 12th of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are hurricanes, inland flooding and earthquakes. FEMA estimates about $68 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $1,050 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (6 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2024 (Hurricane Helene). About 1 in 15 homes here carry federal flood insurance (1,473 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $2.9 million on 174 claims here, including $2.2 million for floods in 2017.

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

Top risks in Liberty County

$51.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 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.
$9.6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 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.
$1.6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 490 years.
  • Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
  • Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
HurricaneHigh96.9
$51M
Inland floodingLow52.3
$10M
EarthquakeLow75.6
$2M
Heat waveLow74.4
$2M
LightningModerate81.5
$1M
TornadoLow35.9
$974K
Cold waveLow33.9
$690K
HailLow56.8
$468K
Strong windLow31.4
$419K
WildfireLow76.1
$396K
Coastal floodingLow51.2
$204K
Ice stormLow52.7
$132K
Winter weatherVery Low23.0
$29K
DroughtVery Low15.5
$1K
LandslideVery Low3.9
$7

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 low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Hurricane9
Tropical Storm3
Freezing1
Drought1
Snowstorm1
Severe Storm1

Most recent

Sep 30, 2024Hurricane HeleneMajor disaster
Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
Sep 24, 2024Tropical Storm DebbyMajor disaster
Aug 5, 2024Hurricane DebbyEmergency
Sep 1, 2019Hurricane DorianEmergency
Oct 10, 2018Hurricane MichaelEmergency
Sep 15, 2017Hurricane IrmaMajor disaster
Sep 8, 2017Hurricane IrmaEmergency
Oct 8, 2016Hurricane MatthewMajor disaster
Oct 6, 2016Hurricane MatthewEmergency
Show all 16
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 14, 1999Hurricane Floyd Emergency DeclarationsEmergency
Mar 11, 1998Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 15, 1993Severe Snowfall, Winter StormEmergency
Jul 20, 1977DroughtEmergency
Jun 2, 1977Shrimp Loss Due to Cold WeatherMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1951

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 398 storm reports in Liberty County since 1951, with 2 deaths and 26 injuries and about $54.5 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on April 9, 1998 near Hinesville.

15tornadoes
87hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
265damaging thunderstorm winds
18floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 9, 1998F2Hinesville7 / 1
Oct 27, 2009EF2Willie0 / 0
Apr 18, 1969F2–1 / 0
Jan 15, 1971F2–4 / 0
May 23, 1951F1–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 9, 1998TornadoHinesville$38M
Jun 4, 2012HailCamp Stewart$9M
Feb 3, 2016TornadoCamp Stewart$5M
May 24, 2008Thunderstorm WindMidway$750K
Jun 4, 2019LightningGum Branch$750K
Oct 27, 2009TornadoWillie$425K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 12, 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, 20 hurricanes and 61 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Liberty County, 29 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1898, with top winds near 130 mph about 63 miles away.

20hurricanes
3major hurricanes (Category 3+)
61tropical storms
2024most recent: Debby

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 2, 1898UnnamedCategory 4, 130 mph63 mi
Aug 28, 1893UnnamedCategory 3, 115 mph56 mi
Sep 8, 1854UnnamedCategory 3, 115 mph59 mi
Oct 15, 1947UnnamedCategory 2, 105 mph60 mi
Sep 29, 1896UnnamedCategory 2, 105 mph37 mi
Aug 25, 1885UnnamedCategory 2, 105 mph59 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 6, 2024DebbyTropical storm, 50 mph63 mi
Aug 30, 2023IdaliaTropical storm, 70 mph65 mi
Jul 1, 2022ColinTropical storm, 40 mph62 mi
Jul 8, 2021ElsaTropical storm, 50 mph64 mi
Jun 28, 2021DannyTropical storm, 40 mph65 mi
Nov 12, 2020EtaTropical storm, 45 mph58 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 Liberty County

Check your address flood zone ›
6.7%of homes have federal flood insurance (1,473 policies)
40.4%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$2.9 millionpaid on 174 flood claims since 1978
2017costliest year, with $2.2 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 Liberty County

$201,500median home value (Georgia $303,300, US $332,700)
1994median year homes were built (Georgia 1992, US 1980)
23%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
15.1%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; 27,675 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
Chatham CountyHigh17
Bryan CountyLow19
Tattnall CountyLow21
Long CountyVery Low16
McIntosh CountyLow20
Evans CountyVery Low15

Cities in Liberty County

Common questions about Liberty County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Liberty County?

Hurricane has the highest expected yearly losses in Liberty County, about $51.2 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $9.6 million.

How many federal disasters has Liberty County had?

Liberty County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 6 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Helene in September 2024.

Is Liberty County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Moderate, 12th 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 Liberty County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 15 homes in Liberty 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 Liberty County had?

NOAA records list 15 tornadoes in Liberty County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on April 9, 1998 near Hinesville. The weather service has also logged 87 hail reports and 18 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Liberty County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 20 hurricanes and 61 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Liberty County, including 3 major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1898, with winds near 130 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.