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Macon County, Georgia

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

Very Low overall risk
87th of 159highest risk in Georgia
$6Mexpected losses a year
14federal declarations
1 in 1000homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Macon County, Georgia has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 68% of US counties. It ranks 87th of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, hurricanes and drought. FEMA estimates about $5.9 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $491 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (7 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2026 (Hurricane Isaias). Only 9 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 Macon County

$2.2 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.
$1.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 10 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.
$1.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 47 times a year.
  • Check local water restrictions.
  • Choose drought-tolerant plants.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingVery Low33.0
$2M
HurricaneLow80.3
$1M
DroughtHigh92.0
$1M
TornadoLow34.6
$379K
HailLow69.3
$310K
Heat waveLow53.5
$252K
Strong windLow29.1
$162K
Cold waveVery Low21.2
$142K
EarthquakeVery Low46.1
$129K
LightningLow39.7
$91K
WildfireVery Low43.2
$18K
Ice stormVery Low8.6
$2K
Winter weatherVery Low3.6
$1K
LandslideVery Low22.2
$84

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 high 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 Macon County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane6
Severe Storm3
Tropical Storm2
Drought1
Tornado1
Winter Storm1

Most recent

Oct 9, 2026Hurricane IsaiasEmergency
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
Feb 26, 2016Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 24, 2004Tropical Storm FrancesMajor disaster
Show all 14
Mar 11, 1998Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 7, 1994Tornadoes, Flooding Torrential Rain(Trop Storm Alberto)Major disaster
Feb 23, 1990Severe Storms, Tornaodes & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 20, 1977DroughtEmergency

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

Storm history since 1953

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 143 storm reports in Macon County since 1953, with 1 death and 16 injuries and about $4.6 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF3 tornado on March 1, 2007 near Oglethorpe.

13tornadoes
21hail reports, largest 1.75 inches
100damaging thunderstorm winds
6floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Mar 1, 2007EF3Oglethorpe0 / 0
Apr 23, 1971F2–10 / 1
Apr 18, 1953F2–1 / 0
Apr 5, 1957F2–2 / 0
Jan 20, 1963F2–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Mar 21, 1980Tornado–$3M
Jan 21, 2012TornadoOglethorpe$300K
Jul 23, 2008Thunderstorm WindMarshallville$275K
Apr 18, 1953Tornado–$250K
Apr 5, 1957Tornado–$250K
Jan 20, 1963Tornado–$250K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Mar 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 1851, 5 hurricanes and 24 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Macon County, 9 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Michael (2018), with top winds near 85 mph about 47 miles away.

5hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
24tropical storms
2024most recent: Helene

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 11, 2018MichaelCategory 1, 85 mph47 mi
Sep 27, 2024HeleneCategory 1, 85 mph60 mi
Aug 24, 1851UnnamedCategory 1, 85 mph64 mi
Aug 31, 1856UnnamedCategory 1, 75 mph64 mi
Oct 2, 1898UnnamedCategory 1, 75 mph64 mi
Oct 7, 1941UnnamedTropical storm, 65 mph58 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 2024HeleneCategory 1, 85 mph60 mi
Oct 11, 2018MichaelCategory 1, 85 mph47 mi
Sep 11, 2017IrmaTropical storm, 45 mph55 mi
Sep 27, 2004JeanneTropical storm, 40 mph57 mi
Sep 3, 1998EarlTropical storm, 50 mph64 mi
Jun 15, 1965UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph39 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 Macon County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.1%of homes have federal flood insurance (9 policies)
7.3%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$37,710paid on 5 flood claims since 1978
1998costliest year, with $32,261 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 Macon County

$97,300median home value (Georgia $303,300, US $332,700)
1978median year homes were built (Georgia 1992, US 1980)
55%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
24.7%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; 5,135 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
Houston CountyLow15
Sumter CountyLow13
Peach CountyVery Low15
Crawford CountyVery Low18
Dooly CountyVery Low15
Taylor CountyVery Low14
Schley CountyVery Low11

Common questions about Macon County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Macon County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Macon County, about $2.2 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hurricane is second at $1.1 million.

How many federal disasters has Macon County had?

Macon County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 7 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Isaias in October 2026.

Is Macon County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 87th 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 Macon County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Macon 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 Macon County had?

NOAA records list 13 tornadoes in Macon County since 1950. The strongest was an EF3 tornado on March 1, 2007 near Oglethorpe. The weather service has also logged 21 hail reports and 6 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Macon County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 5 hurricanes and 24 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Macon County. The strongest was Hurricane Michael (2018), with winds near 85 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.