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Monroe County, Georgia

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

Very Low overall risk
113th of 159highest risk in Georgia
$7Mexpected losses a year
19federal declarations
1 in 167homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Monroe County, Georgia has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 81% of US counties. It ranks 113th of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and heat waves. FEMA estimates about $6.8 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $246 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (11 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (62 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $3.0 million on 61 claims here, including $2.3 million for floods in 1994.

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

Top risks in Monroe County

$3.6 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.
$924,159 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.
$500,654 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 6 times a year.
  • Check that cooling works before summer.
  • Know where the nearest cooling center is.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingVery Low32.0
$4M
TornadoLow42.1
$924K
Heat waveLow56.8
$501K
Strong windLow42.6
$435K
HurricaneLow64.2
$319K
EarthquakeVery Low49.3
$262K
HailLow47.5
$232K
LightningLow42.5
$174K
DroughtLow51.3
$155K
Cold waveVery Low12.8
$117K
WildfireVery Low53.4
$56K
Ice stormLow28.1
$28K
Winter weatherVery Low4.6
$3K
LandslideVery Low38.2
$571

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 relatively moderate in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Hurricane6
Severe Storm5
Tornado2
Severe Ice Storm2
Drought1
Snowstorm1

Most recent

Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 30, 2024Hurricane HeleneMajor disaster
Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
Oct 10, 2018Hurricane MichaelEmergency
Sep 15, 2017Hurricane IrmaMajor disaster
Sep 8, 2017Hurricane IrmaEmergency
Mar 6, 2014Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Feb 11, 2014Severe Winter StormEmergency
Apr 29, 2011Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Associated FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 23, 2009Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Show all 19
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 24, 2004Tropical Storm FrancesMajor disaster
Jan 28, 2000Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Mar 11, 1998Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 7, 1994Tornadoes, Flooding Torrential Rain(Trop Storm Alberto)Major disaster
Mar 15, 1993Severe Snowfall, Winter StormEmergency
Dec 1, 1992High Winds, Heavy Rains & TornadoesMajor 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 1952

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 239 storm reports in Monroe County since 1952, with 0 deaths and 13 injuries and about $20.3 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF3 tornado on April 13, 2020 near Collier.

19tornadoes
47hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
153damaging thunderstorm winds
10floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 13, 2020EF3Collier1 / 0
Apr 28, 2011EF2Socrates10 / 0
Nov 22, 1992F2–0 / 0
Apr 3, 2017EF1Smarr0 / 0
Jan 1, 2021EF1Bolingbroke0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 13, 2020TornadoCollier$10M
Apr 28, 2011TornadoSocrates$5M
Aug 5, 2007Thunderstorm WindHiggins Mill$500K
May 11, 2008Thunderstorm WindDyas$500K
Mar 28, 2009FloodHiggins Mill$500K
Jan 2, 2006HailBrent$300K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through May 3, 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 1851, 2 hurricanes and 15 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Monroe County, 3 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Helene (2024), with top winds near 75 mph about 63 miles away.

2hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
15tropical storms
2024most recent: Helene

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 2024HeleneCategory 1, 75 mph63 mi
Oct 11, 2018MichaelCategory 1, 75 mph60 mi
Aug 24, 1851UnnamedTropical storm, 70 mph63 mi
Oct 3, 1898UnnamedTropical storm, 65 mph65 mi
Sep 10, 1882UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph56 mi
Jul 8, 1896UnnamedTropical storm, 55 mph61 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 2024HeleneCategory 1, 75 mph63 mi
Oct 11, 2018MichaelCategory 1, 75 mph60 mi
Jun 15, 1965UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph52 mi
Aug 12, 1940UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph57 mi
Sep 15, 1903UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph63 mi
Sep 18, 1901UnnamedTropical storm, 45 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 Monroe County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.6%of homes have federal flood insurance (62 policies)
26.5%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$3 millionpaid on 61 flood claims since 1978
1994costliest year, with $2.3 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 Monroe County

$271,200median home value (Georgia $303,300, US $332,700)
1995median year homes were built (Georgia 1992, US 1980)
24%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
15.8%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; 11,577 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
Bibb CountyLow14
Jones CountyVery Low15
Upson CountyVery Low21
Butts CountyVery Low17
Lamar CountyVery Low17
Jasper CountyVery Low15
Crawford CountyVery Low18

Common questions about Monroe County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Monroe County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Monroe County, about $3.6 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $924,159.

How many federal disasters has Monroe County had?

Monroe County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 11 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.

Is Monroe County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 113th 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 Monroe County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 167 homes in Monroe 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 Monroe County had?

NOAA records list 19 tornadoes in Monroe County since 1950. The strongest was an EF3 tornado on April 13, 2020 near Collier. The weather service has also logged 47 hail reports and 10 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Monroe County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 2 hurricanes and 15 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Monroe County. The strongest was Hurricane Helene (2024), with winds near 75 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.