Lincoln County, Georgia
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Lincoln County, Georgia has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 94% of US counties. It ranks 148th of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and earthquakes. FEMA estimates about $2.8 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $365 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 11 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (4 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 3 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 Lincoln County
- 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.
- 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.
- Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
- Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 12.7 | $1M | ||
| Tornado | 33.9 | $558K | ||
| Earthquake | 44.9 | $178K | ||
| Ice storm | 63.4 | $135K | ||
| Strong wind | 16.9 | $128K | ||
| Cold wave | 14.2 | $123K | ||
| Hurricane | 54.5 | $101K | ||
| Hail | 26.9 | $89K | ||
| Heat wave | 22.2 | $65K | ||
| Lightning | 9.4 | $27K | ||
| Wildfire | 39.0 | $21K | ||
| Winter weather | 3.3 | $2K | ||
| Landslide | 13.5 | $44 |
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 very low in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Lincoln County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 11
Georgia also had 8 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1967
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 166 storm reports in Lincoln County since 1967, with 0 deaths and 9 injuries and about $1.4 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on November 22, 1992.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 22, 1992 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 7, 1998 | F2 | New Hope | 0 / 0 |
| May 7, 1998 | F2 | Lincolnton | 8 / 0 |
| May 7, 1998 | F1 | New Hope | 0 / 0 |
| May 7, 1998 | F1 | Lincolnton | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 7, 1998 | Tornado | New Hope | $350K |
| May 7, 1998 | Tornado | Lincolnton | $300K |
| Nov 22, 1992 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Apr 22, 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lincolnton | $75K |
| May 7, 1998 | Tornado | New Hope | $50K |
| May 7, 1998 | Tornado | Lincolnton | $50K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 10, 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, 0 hurricanes and 17 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Lincoln County, 4 of them since 1950. The strongest was Tropical Storm Helene (2024), with top winds near 65 mph about 59 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 2024 | Helene | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 59 mi |
| Aug 28, 1949 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 59 mi |
| Aug 24, 1851 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 60 mi |
| Oct 11, 2018 | Michael | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 61 mi |
| Sep 24, 1889 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 52 mi |
| Oct 8, 1946 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 64 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 2024 | Helene | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 59 mi |
| Oct 11, 2018 | Michael | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 61 mi |
| Sep 16, 2018 | Florence | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 63 mi |
| Aug 30, 1964 | Cleo | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 63 mi |
| Aug 28, 1949 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 59 mi |
| Oct 8, 1946 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 64 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 Lincoln County
Check your address flood zone ›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 Lincoln County
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; 4,529 housing units.
Compare in Georgia
All 159 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Fulton County | Inland flooding | |
| Gwinnett County | Inland flooding | |
| Cobb County | Inland flooding | |
| DeKalb County | Inland flooding | |
| Clayton County | Inland flooding | |
| Chatham County | Hurricane | |
| Cherokee County | Inland flooding | |
| Forsyth County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia County | 12 | |
| McDuffie County | 13 | |
| Elbert County | 14 | |
| Wilkes County | 15 | |
| McCormick County, SC | 19 |
Common questions about Lincoln County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Lincoln County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Lincoln County, about $1.4 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $557,841.
How many federal disasters has Lincoln County had?
Lincoln County has been included in 11 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 4 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.
Is Lincoln County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 148th 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 Lincoln County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Lincoln 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 Lincoln County had?
NOAA records list 10 tornadoes in Lincoln County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on November 22, 1992. The weather service has also logged 41 hail reports and 7 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Lincoln County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 17 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Lincoln County. The strongest was Tropical Storm Helene (2024), with winds near 65 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.