Home › Georgia › Marion County

Marion County, Georgia

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

Very Low overall risk
145th of 159highest risk in Georgia
$2Mexpected losses a year
12federal declarations
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Marion County, Georgia has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 93% of US counties. It ranks 145th of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, drought and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $2.3 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $304 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (5 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2026 (Hurricane Isaias). Only 1 home here carries federal flood insurance.

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

Top risks in Marion County

$997,448 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.

Drought

Moderate
$355,388 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 59 times a year.
  • Check local water restrictions.
  • Choose drought-tolerant plants.

Tornado

Very Low
$233,280 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 4 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingVery Low12.8
$997K
DroughtModerate71.2
$355K
TornadoVery Low25.3
$233K
LightningModerate62.6
$231K
HurricaneLow61.4
$149K
Heat waveVery Low34.2
$107K
Strong windVery Low11.6
$55K
EarthquakeVery Low30.5
$50K
HailVery Low21.2
$48K
WildfireVery Low49.5
$29K
Cold waveVery Low4.9
$10K
Ice stormVery Low6.3
$2K
Winter weatherVery Low2.2
$770
LandslideVery Low39.8
$408

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 Marion County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane5
Severe Storm2
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
Jul 7, 1994Tornadoes, Flooding Torrential Rain(Trop Storm Alberto)Major disaster
Show all 12
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 114 storm reports in Marion County since 1953, with 0 deaths and 12 injuries and about $1.4 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on April 18, 1953.

11tornadoes
24hail reports, largest 1.75 inches
74damaging thunderstorm winds
4floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 18, 1953F2–2 / 0
Apr 30, 1953F2–3 / 0
Dec 5, 1954F2–7 / 0
Nov 21, 1997F1Draneville0 / 0
Mar 1, 2007EF1Oakland0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 18, 1953Tornado–$250K
Feb 24, 1977Tornado–$250K
Nov 21, 1997TornadoDraneville$150K
Apr 4, 2011Thunderstorm WindJuniper$150K
Jun 2, 2005LightningBuena Vista$100K
Feb 17, 2008TornadoBrantley$75K

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, 3 hurricanes and 22 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Marion County, 5 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Michael (2018), with top winds near 90 mph about 59 miles away.

3hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
22tropical storms
2021most recent: Fred

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 10, 2018MichaelCategory 1, 90 mph59 mi
Aug 24, 1851UnnamedCategory 1, 85 mph65 mi
Aug 31, 1856UnnamedCategory 1, 75 mph63 mi
Sep 10, 1882UnnamedTropical storm, 70 mph60 mi
Oct 3, 1898UnnamedTropical storm, 65 mph63 mi
Jul 8, 1896UnnamedTropical storm, 65 mph56 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 17, 2021FredTropical storm, 40 mph59 mi
Oct 10, 2018MichaelCategory 1, 90 mph59 mi
Sep 11, 2017IrmaTropical storm, 45 mph60 mi
Jun 15, 1965UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph48 mi
Oct 19, 1950KingTropical storm, 45 mph63 mi
Aug 12, 1940UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph62 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 Marion County

Check your address flood zone ›
0%of homes have federal flood insurance (1 policies)
7.1%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$0paid on 0 flood claims since 1978
n/acostliest year

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 Marion County

$154,100median home value (Georgia $303,300, US $332,700)
1993median year homes were built (Georgia 1992, US 1980)
28%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
35.8%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; 3,544 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
Sumter CountyLow13
Chattahoochee CountyVery Low10
Taylor CountyVery Low14
Talbot CountyVery Low15
Stewart CountyVery Low15
Schley CountyVery Low11
Webster CountyVery Low15

Common questions about Marion County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Marion County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Marion County, about $997,448 a year in FEMA's estimate. Drought is second at $355,388.

How many federal disasters has Marion County had?

Marion County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 5 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Isaias in October 2026.

Is Marion County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 145th 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 Marion County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.

How many tornadoes has Marion County had?

NOAA records list 11 tornadoes in Marion County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on April 18, 1953. The weather service has also logged 24 hail reports and 4 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Marion County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 3 hurricanes and 22 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Marion County. The strongest was Hurricane Michael (2018), with winds near 90 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.