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Paulding County, Georgia

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

Relatively Low overall risk
27th of 159highest risk in Georgia
$40Mexpected losses a year
18federal declarations
1 in 333homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Paulding County, Georgia has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 70% of US counties. It ranks 27th of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $40 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $235 per resident. Since 1966 it has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (9 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2026 (Hurricane Isaias). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (147 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $892,000 on 54 claims here.

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

Top risks in Paulding County

$21.4 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 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.

Tornado

Moderate
$9.2 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
$4.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once 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 floodingModerate73.9
$21M
TornadoModerate88.9
$9M
Cold waveModerate76.5
$4M
LightningHigh84.9
$1M
EarthquakeLow67.1
$945K
HailLow72.6
$870K
Heat waveLow58.5
$754K
Strong windLow35.5
$491K
Ice stormModerate64.0
$222K
WildfireLow65.3
$169K
HurricaneVery Low52.6
$128K
DroughtLow36.8
$68K
Winter weatherVery Low20.0
$24K
LandslideLow64.5
$5K

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 low 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 Paulding County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane6
Severe Storm3
Tornado2
Tropical Storm2
Flood1
Drought1

Most recent

Oct 9, 2026Hurricane IsaiasEmergency
Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 30, 2024Hurricane HeleneMajor disaster
Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
Jan 12, 2021Tropical Storm ZetaMajor disaster
Sep 15, 2017Hurricane IrmaMajor disaster
Sep 8, 2017Hurricane IrmaEmergency
Feb 11, 2014Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 24, 2009Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Show all 18
Jan 28, 2000Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Mar 11, 1998Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 10, 1995Hurricane OpalMajor disaster
Mar 15, 1993Severe Snowfall, Winter StormEmergency
May 11, 1984Severe Storms & TornadoesEmergency
Jul 20, 1977DroughtEmergency
Apr 5, 1974TornadoesMajor disaster
Mar 14, 1966FloodingMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1956

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 351 storm reports in Paulding County since 1956, with 2 deaths and 17 injuries and about $24.9 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on April 23, 1971.

10tornadoes
78hail reports, largest 2 inches
226damaging thunderstorm winds
24floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 23, 1971F3–1 / 0
Mar 2, 2012EF2Beulah0 / 0
Apr 15, 1956F2–0 / 0
Apr 3, 1974F2–8 / 0
Dec 29, 1973F1–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Mar 2, 2012TornadoBeulah$11M
Sep 21, 2009FloodUnion$2M
Apr 4, 2011HailHiram$1M
Jun 15, 2011HailYorkville$1M
Jun 15, 2011HailDallas$1M
Apr 5, 2017HailUnion$1M

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 1859, 0 hurricanes and 8 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Paulding County, 2 of them since 1950. The strongest was Tropical Storm Eloise (1975), with top winds near 65 mph about 55 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
8tropical storms
2020most recent: Zeta

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 23, 1975EloiseTropical storm, 65 mph55 mi
Oct 29, 2020ZetaTropical storm, 60 mph40 mi
Oct 3, 1893UnnamedTropical storm, 55 mph61 mi
Oct 3, 1898UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph58 mi
Sep 16, 1859UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph57 mi
Sep 4, 1915UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph50 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 29, 2020ZetaTropical storm, 60 mph40 mi
Sep 23, 1975EloiseTropical storm, 65 mph55 mi
Sep 4, 1915UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph50 mi
Sep 15, 1903UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph64 mi
Oct 3, 1898UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph58 mi
Oct 3, 1893UnnamedTropical storm, 55 mph61 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 Paulding County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.3%of homes have federal flood insurance (147 policies)
34.2%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$891,512paid on 54 flood claims since 1978
2009costliest year, with $843,354 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 Paulding County

$326,300median home value (Georgia $303,300, US $332,700)
2002median year homes were built (Georgia 1992, US 1980)
11%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
3.2%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; 63,118 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
Cobb CountyHigh18
Douglas CountyLow17
Carroll CountyLow21
Bartow CountyLow18
Polk CountyLow16
Haralson CountyVery Low16

Common questions about Paulding County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Paulding County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Paulding County, about $21.4 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $9.2 million.

How many federal disasters has Paulding County had?

Paulding County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1966, including 9 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Isaias in October 2026.

Is Paulding County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 27th 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 Paulding County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 333 homes in Paulding 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 Paulding County had?

NOAA records list 10 tornadoes in Paulding County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on April 23, 1971. The weather service has also logged 78 hail reports and 24 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Paulding County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 8 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Paulding County. The strongest was Tropical Storm Eloise (1975), 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.