Murray County, Georgia
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 49.6 | $6M | ||
| Tornado | 77.7 | $3M | ||
| Cold wave | 78.2 | $3M | ||
| Earthquake | 79.7 | $2M | ||
| Strong wind | 60.3 | $708K | ||
| Lightning | 65.7 | $405K | ||
| Hail | 48.5 | $238K | ||
| Heat wave | 29.0 | $121K | ||
| Hurricane | 52.8 | $89K | ||
| Drought | 42.2 | $80K | ||
| Ice storm | 44.3 | $63K | ||
| Wildfire | 53.3 | $54K | ||
| Winter weather | 18.7 | $16K | ||
| Landslide | 75.6 | $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
Most recent
Show all 14
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.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 3, 1974 | F4 | – | 2 / 1 |
| Apr 3, 1974 | F4 | – | 15 / 0 |
| Apr 12, 2020 | EF2 | Treadwell | 24 / 8 |
| Jun 18, 1994 | F1 | Chatsworth | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 4, 1977 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 3, 1974 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Apr 12, 2020 | Tornado | Treadwell | $500K |
| Jun 18, 1994 | Tornado | Chatsworth | $500K |
| Apr 22, 1997 | Tornado | Chatsworth | $450K |
| Apr 22, 1997 | Tornado | Sugar Creek | $450K |
| Jul 25, 2001 | Flash Flood | Countywide | $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.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 29, 2020 | Zeta | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 25 mi |
| Sep 23, 1975 | Eloise | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 60 mi |
| Sep 27, 2024 | Helene | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 62 mi |
| Sep 5, 1915 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 49 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 2024 | Helene | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 62 mi |
| Oct 29, 2020 | Zeta | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 25 mi |
| Sep 23, 1975 | Eloise | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 60 mi |
| Sep 5, 1915 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 49 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 ›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
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 counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Fulton County | Inland flooding | |
| Gwinnett County | Inland flooding | |
| Cobb County | Inland flooding | |
| DeKalb County | Inland flooding | |
| Clayton County | Inland flooding | |
| Chatham County | Hurricane | |
| Cherokee County | Inland flooding | |
| Forsyth County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Bradley County, TN | 16 | |
| Whitfield County | 15 | |
| Gordon County | 17 | |
| Gilmer County | 19 | |
| Fannin County | 17 | |
| Polk County, TN | 21 |
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.