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Madison County, Georgia

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

Very Low overall risk
91st of 159highest risk in Georgia
$8Mexpected losses a year
13federal declarations
1 in 1000homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Madison County, Georgia has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 71% of US counties. It ranks 91st of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $7.8 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $260 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (6 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2026 (Hurricane Isaias). 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 Madison County

$3.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 5 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.
$1.4 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 6 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.
$826,481 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 years.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingVery Low34.4
$3M
TornadoLow58.5
$1M
Cold waveLow51.1
$826K
HurricaneLow69.3
$455K
EarthquakeLow61.6
$414K
Strong windLow40.5
$347K
HailLow56.8
$282K
Heat waveLow43.7
$226K
LightningLow49.7
$191K
Ice stormModerate70.7
$190K
DroughtLow54.4
$166K
WildfireVery Low29.7
$11K
Winter weatherVery Low6.6
$4K
LandslideVery Low26.6
$188

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 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 Madison County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane5
Severe Ice Storm3
Tropical Storm2
Tornado1
Drought1
Winter Storm1

Most recent

Oct 9, 2026Hurricane IsaiasEmergency
Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 30, 2024Hurricane HeleneMajor disaster
Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
Sep 15, 2017Hurricane IrmaMajor disaster
Sep 8, 2017Hurricane IrmaEmergency
Apr 20, 2015Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Mar 6, 2014Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Feb 11, 2014Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Show all 13
Sep 18, 2004Hurricane IvanMajor disaster
Jul 20, 1977DroughtEmergency
Apr 4, 1973Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1954

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 173 storm reports in Madison County since 1954, with 0 deaths and 11 injuries and about $5.2 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on March 31, 1954.

9tornadoes
53hail reports, largest 3 inches
102damaging thunderstorm winds
5floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Mar 31, 1954F2–5 / 0
Sep 16, 2004F1Colbert0 / 0
May 6, 2003F1Danielsville0 / 0
Aug 17, 2021EF1Ila0 / 0
Nov 17, 1968F1–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Sep 16, 2004TornadoColbert$1M
Mar 15, 2008HailIla$800K
Jun 27, 1994TornadoDanielsville$500K
May 6, 2003TornadoDanielsville$500K
Jul 23, 2000Thunderstorm WindCountywide$300K
Mar 31, 1954Tornado–$250K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Nov 8, 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 1859, 0 hurricanes and 9 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Madison County, 2 of them since 1950. The strongest was Tropical Storm Helene (2024), with top winds near 65 mph about 50 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
9tropical storms
2024most recent: Helene

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 2024HeleneTropical storm, 65 mph50 mi
Aug 28, 1949UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph58 mi
Oct 11, 2018MichaelTropical storm, 55 mph64 mi
Oct 3, 1893UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph64 mi
Sep 24, 1889UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph57 mi
Jun 22, 1886UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph63 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 2024HeleneTropical storm, 65 mph50 mi
Oct 11, 2018MichaelTropical storm, 55 mph64 mi
Aug 28, 1949UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph58 mi
Jul 8, 1896UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph60 mi
Oct 3, 1893UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph64 mi
Sep 24, 1889UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph57 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 Madison County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.1%of homes have federal flood insurance (12 policies)
10.3%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$1,448paid on 2 flood claims since 1978
2019costliest year, with $1,448 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 Madison County

$219,700median home value (Georgia $303,300, US $332,700)
1990median year homes were built (Georgia 1992, US 1980)
34%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
30.9%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; 12,533 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
Clarke CountyLow12
Jackson CountyVery Low13
Hart CountyVery Low12
Franklin CountyVery Low14
Elbert CountyVery Low14
Banks CountyVery Low16
Oglethorpe CountyVery Low13

Common questions about Madison County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Madison County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Madison County, about $3.3 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $1.4 million.

How many federal disasters has Madison County had?

Madison County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 6 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Isaias in October 2026.

Is Madison County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 91st 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 Madison County?

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

NOAA records list 9 tornadoes in Madison County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on March 31, 1954. The weather service has also logged 53 hail reports and 5 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Madison County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 9 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Madison 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.