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Murray County, Georgia

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

Relatively Low overall risk
56th of 159highest risk in Georgia
$16Mexpected losses a year
14federal declarations
1 in 1000homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Murray County, Georgia has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 52% of US counties. It ranks 56th of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $16 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $405 per resident. Since 1974 it has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (6 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2026 (Hurricane Isaias). Only 19 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $612,000 on 42 claims here.

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

Top risks in Murray County

$6.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • 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.

Tornado

Moderate
$3.4 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 5 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.

Cold wave

Moderate
$3.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 2 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow49.6
$6M
TornadoModerate77.7
$3M
Cold waveModerate78.2
$3M
EarthquakeLow79.7
$2M
Strong windModerate60.3
$708K
LightningModerate65.7
$405K
HailLow48.5
$238K
Heat waveVery Low29.0
$121K
HurricaneVery Low52.8
$89K
DroughtLow42.2
$80K
Ice stormLow44.3
$63K
WildfireVery Low53.3
$54K
Winter weatherVery Low18.7
$16K
LandslideLow75.6
$9K

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 Murray County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane4
Tornado2
Severe Storm2
Tropical Storm2
Drought1
Snowstorm1

Most recent

Oct 9, 2026Hurricane IsaiasEmergency
Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
Sep 15, 2017Hurricane IrmaMajor disaster
Sep 8, 2017Hurricane IrmaEmergency
Feb 11, 2014Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Mar 11, 1998Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 10, 1995Hurricane OpalMajor disaster
Mar 31, 1994Tornadoes, Flooding, and Severe StormsMajor disaster
Show all 14
Mar 15, 1993Severe Snowfall, Winter StormEmergency
Feb 23, 1990Severe Storms, Tornaodes & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 20, 1977DroughtEmergency
Apr 5, 1974TornadoesMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1957

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 215 storm reports in Murray County since 1957, with 9 deaths and 63 injuries and about $7.8 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on April 3, 1974.

13tornadoes
56hail reports, largest 1.75 inches
115damaging thunderstorm winds
20floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 3, 1974F4–2 / 1
Apr 3, 1974F4–15 / 0
Apr 12, 2020EF2Treadwell24 / 8
Jun 18, 1994F1Chatsworth0 / 0
Apr 4, 1977F1–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 3, 1974Tornado–$3M
Apr 12, 2020TornadoTreadwell$500K
Jun 18, 1994TornadoChatsworth$500K
Apr 22, 1997TornadoChatsworth$450K
Apr 22, 1997TornadoSugar Creek$450K
Jul 25, 2001Flash FloodCountywide$300K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Mar 16, 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 1915, 0 hurricanes and 4 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Murray County, 3 of them since 1950. The strongest was Tropical Storm Zeta (2020), with top winds near 60 mph about 25 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
4tropical storms
2024most recent: Helene

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 29, 2020ZetaTropical storm, 60 mph25 mi
Sep 23, 1975EloiseTropical storm, 60 mph60 mi
Sep 27, 2024HeleneTropical storm, 50 mph62 mi
Sep 5, 1915UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph49 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 2024HeleneTropical storm, 50 mph62 mi
Oct 29, 2020ZetaTropical storm, 60 mph25 mi
Sep 23, 1975EloiseTropical storm, 60 mph60 mi
Sep 5, 1915UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph49 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 Murray County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.1%of homes have federal flood insurance (19 policies)
7%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$611,827paid on 42 flood claims since 1978
2018costliest year, with $226,736 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 Murray County

$180,700median home value (Georgia $303,300, US $332,700)
1993median year homes were built (Georgia 1992, US 1980)
25%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
27.1%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; 16,241 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
Bradley County, TNLow16
Whitfield CountyModerate15
Gordon CountyLow17
Gilmer CountyLow19
Fannin CountyLow17
Polk County, TNVery Low21

Common questions about Murray County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Murray County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Murray County, about $6.3 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $3.4 million.

How many federal disasters has Murray County had?

Murray County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1974, including 6 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Isaias in October 2026.

Is Murray County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 56th 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 Murray County?

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

NOAA records list 13 tornadoes in Murray County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on April 3, 1974. The weather service has also logged 56 hail reports and 20 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Murray County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 4 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Murray County. The strongest was Tropical Storm Zeta (2020), with winds near 60 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.