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Pierce County, Georgia

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

Very Low overall risk
101st of 159highest risk in Georgia
$9Mexpected losses a year
17federal declarations
1 in 333homes with flood insurance
Photo: CC0

Pierce County, Georgia has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 77% of US counties. It ranks 101st of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are hurricanes, inland flooding and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $8.7 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $441 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (8 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2024 (Hurricane Helene). Only 32 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $345,000 on 11 claims here.

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

Top risks in Pierce County

Hurricane

Moderate
$3.8 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 years.
  • Know your evacuation zone and route before June 1.
  • Ask about roof age, shutters and the separate wind or hurricane deductible on your home policy.
$2.4 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 6 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.
$810,261 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 7 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
HurricaneModerate84.5
$4M
Inland floodingVery Low18.3
$2M
TornadoLow36.6
$810K
Cold waveLow33.1
$536K
Heat waveVery Low38.0
$228K
EarthquakeVery Low42.4
$192K
WildfireLow69.0
$180K
DroughtLow50.2
$161K
LightningLow36.3
$154K
Strong windVery Low13.7
$123K
HailVery Low10.8
$38K
Winter weatherVery Low3.7
$3K
Ice stormVery Low0.3
$247
LandslideVery Low3.2
$4

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 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 Pierce County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane10
Tropical Storm3
Drought1
Flood1
Snowstorm1
Severe Storm1

Most recent

Sep 30, 2024Hurricane HeleneMajor disaster
Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
Sep 24, 2024Tropical Storm DebbyMajor disaster
Aug 5, 2024Hurricane DebbyEmergency
Sep 7, 2023Hurricane IdaliaMajor disaster
Sep 1, 2019Hurricane DorianEmergency
Oct 10, 2018Hurricane MichaelEmergency
Sep 15, 2017Hurricane IrmaMajor disaster
Sep 8, 2017Hurricane IrmaEmergency
Oct 8, 2016Hurricane MatthewMajor disaster
Show all 17
Oct 6, 2016Hurricane MatthewEmergency
Apr 23, 2009Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 24, 2004Tropical Storm FrancesMajor disaster
Mar 15, 1993Severe Snowfall, Winter StormEmergency
Mar 15, 1991Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 20, 1977DroughtEmergency

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 201 storm reports in Pierce County since 1956, with 0 deaths and 35 injuries and about $3.8 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on March 16, 1976.

15tornadoes
38hail reports, largest 2 inches
119damaging thunderstorm winds
6floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Mar 16, 1976F2–0 / 0
Dec 2, 2009EF2Bynum0 / 0
Feb 10, 1986F1–0 / 0
Nov 7, 1995F1Bristol4 / 0
Feb 10, 1986F1–7 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Feb 10, 1986Tornado–$3M
Nov 7, 1995TornadoBristol$300K
Mar 16, 1976Tornado–$250K
Feb 10, 1986Tornado–$250K
Oct 21, 2002Thunderstorm WindOfferman$100K
Aug 17, 2010LightningBlackshear$100K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 25, 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 1852, 12 hurricanes and 56 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Pierce County, 22 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1898, with top winds near 130 mph about 57 miles away.

12hurricanes
1major hurricanes (Category 3+)
56tropical storms
2024most recent: Helene

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 2, 1898UnnamedCategory 4, 130 mph57 mi
Sep 29, 1896UnnamedCategory 2, 110 mph62 mi
Aug 28, 1881UnnamedCategory 2, 100 mph63 mi
Oct 15, 1947UnnamedCategory 2, 95 mph54 mi
Sep 4, 1979DavidCategory 1, 95 mph63 mi
Sep 27, 2024HeleneCategory 1, 90 mph64 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 2024HeleneCategory 1, 90 mph64 mi
Aug 5, 2024DebbyTropical storm, 55 mph58 mi
Aug 30, 2023IdaliaCategory 1, 90 mph63 mi
Jul 7, 2021ElsaTropical storm, 50 mph59 mi
Nov 12, 2020EtaTropical storm, 40 mph62 mi
Sep 14, 2016JuliaTropical storm, 45 mph59 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 Pierce County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.3%of homes have federal flood insurance (32 policies)
11%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$344,847paid on 11 flood claims since 1978
2009costliest year, with $327,675 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 Pierce County

$153,300median home value (Georgia $303,300, US $332,700)
1990median year homes were built (Georgia 1992, US 1980)
32%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
30.6%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; 8,543 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
Ware CountyLow22
Wayne CountyLow17
Appling CountyLow18
Brantley CountyVery Low21
Bacon CountyVery Low17

Common questions about Pierce County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Pierce County?

Hurricane has the highest expected yearly losses in Pierce County, about $3.8 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $2.4 million.

How many federal disasters has Pierce County had?

Pierce County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 8 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Helene in September 2024.

Is Pierce County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 101st 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 Pierce County?

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

NOAA records list 15 tornadoes in Pierce County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on March 16, 1976. The weather service has also logged 38 hail reports and 6 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Pierce County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 12 hurricanes and 56 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Pierce County, including 1 major hurricane (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1898, with winds near 130 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.