Peach County, Georgia
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Peach County, Georgia has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 78% of US counties. It ranks 102nd of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, drought and strong wind. FEMA estimates about $7.5 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $269 per resident. Since 1966 it has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (7 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 19 homes here carry federal flood insurance.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Peach 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.
- Check local water restrictions.
- Choose drought-tolerant plants.
- Secure outdoor furniture and trash bins before storms.
- Have trees near the house checked.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 22.7 | $3M | ||
| Drought | 88.9 | $1M | ||
| Strong wind | 63.4 | $765K | ||
| Heat wave | 66.7 | $750K | ||
| Hurricane | 70.8 | $608K | ||
| Tornado | 27.0 | $400K | ||
| Earthquake | 51.6 | $285K | ||
| Lightning | 50.5 | $226K | ||
| Hail | 42.0 | $183K | ||
| Cold wave | 17.1 | $170K | ||
| Wildfire | 56.3 | $65K | ||
| Ice storm | 18.5 | $13K | ||
| Winter weather | 4.1 | $3K | ||
| Landslide | 16.1 | $70 |
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 low in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Peach County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 15
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 162 storm reports in Peach County since 1953, with 2 deaths and 62 injuries and about $32.9 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on February 18, 1975.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 18, 1975 | F3 | – | 50 / 2 |
| Aug 29, 2005 | F2 | Ft Vly | 3 / 0 |
| Apr 5, 1957 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 21, 1980 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 3, 2019 | EF1 | Taylors Mill | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 18, 1975 | Tornado | – | $25M |
| Aug 29, 2005 | Tornado | Ft Vly | $3M |
| Mar 21, 1980 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Apr 25, 2015 | Hail | Byron | $476K |
| Feb 18, 2009 | Hail | Ft Vly | $280K |
| Feb 18, 2009 | Hail | Powersville | $280K |
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, 5 hurricanes and 20 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Peach County, 4 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Michael (2018), with top winds near 85 mph about 65 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 11, 2018 | Michael | Category 1, 85 mph | 65 mi |
| Sep 27, 2024 | Helene | Category 1, 85 mph | 62 mi |
| Aug 24, 1851 | Unnamed | Category 1, 80 mph | 57 mi |
| Oct 2, 1898 | Unnamed | Category 1, 75 mph | 63 mi |
| Aug 31, 1856 | Unnamed | Category 1, 75 mph | 65 mi |
| Aug 28, 1949 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 62 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 2024 | Helene | Category 1, 85 mph | 62 mi |
| Oct 11, 2018 | Michael | Category 1, 85 mph | 65 mi |
| Sep 11, 2017 | Irma | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 63 mi |
| Jun 15, 1965 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 58 mi |
| Aug 28, 1949 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 62 mi |
| Oct 7, 1941 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 63 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 Peach 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 Peach 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; 12,247 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Houston County | 15 | |
| Crawford County | 18 | |
| Macon County | 14 | |
| Taylor County | 14 |
Cities in Peach County
Common questions about Peach County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Peach County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Peach County, about $2.6 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Drought is second at $1.5 million.
How many federal disasters has Peach County had?
Peach County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1966, including 7 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.
Is Peach County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 102nd 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 Peach County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 500 homes in Peach 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 Peach County had?
NOAA records list 15 tornadoes in Peach County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on February 18, 1975. The weather service has also logged 49 hail reports and 7 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Peach County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 5 hurricanes and 20 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Peach County. The strongest was Hurricane Michael (2018), with winds near 85 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.