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Quitman County, Georgia

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

Very Low overall risk
136th of 159highest risk in Georgia
$2Mexpected losses a year
10federal declarations
1 in 1000homes with flood insurance
Photo: Aleatoric Consonance, CC BY 2.0

Quitman County, Georgia has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 92% of US counties. It ranks 136th of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are drought, cold waves and inland flooding. FEMA estimates about $2.3 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $1,043 per resident. Since 1994 it has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (5 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2026 (Hurricane Isaias). Only 1 home here carries federal flood insurance.

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

Top risks in Quitman County

$1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 52 times a year.
  • Check local water restrictions.
  • Choose drought-tolerant plants.
$397,139 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.
$368,615 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 15 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
DroughtHigh91.4
$1M
Cold waveLow42.6
$397K
Inland floodingVery Low4.7
$369K
TornadoLow27.5
$236K
HurricaneLow62.7
$150K
LightningVery Low19.4
$36K
HailVery Low16.4
$31K
Strong windVery Low7.3
$28K
Heat waveVery Low16.4
$24K
WildfireVery Low39.5
$14K
EarthquakeVery Low17.6
$13K
Ice stormVery Low6.0
$2K
Winter weatherVery Low1.7
$318
LandslideVery Low28.5
$149

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 high 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 Quitman County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane6
Tropical Storm2
Tornado1
Severe Storm1

Most recent

Oct 9, 2026Hurricane IsaiasEmergency
Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
Oct 14, 2018Hurricane MichaelMajor disaster
Oct 10, 2018Hurricane MichaelEmergency
Sep 15, 2017Hurricane IrmaMajor disaster
Sep 8, 2017Hurricane IrmaEmergency
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Mar 11, 1998Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 10, 1995Hurricane OpalMajor disaster
Jul 7, 1994Tornadoes, Flooding Torrential Rain(Trop Storm Alberto)Major disaster

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

Storm history since 1954

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 66 storm reports in Quitman County since 1954, with 0 deaths and 2 injuries and about $735,250 in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on December 5, 1954.

7tornadoes
10hail reports, largest 1.75 inches
43damaging thunderstorm winds
3floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Dec 5, 1954F2–0 / 0
Apr 5, 2017EF2Bonapartes Retreat0 / 0
Mar 31, 2020EF1Bonapartes Retreat1 / 0
Mar 3, 2019EF1State Rd 27/County Rd 140 / 0
Jun 14, 2023EF1Hatcher0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Dec 5, 1954Tornado–$250K
Jul 7, 2008LightningGeorgetown$100K
Apr 5, 2017TornadoBonapartes Retreat$100K
Jul 31, 1996LightningSouth Brook$75K
Jun 14, 2009Thunderstorm WindBonapartes Retreat$50K
Mar 31, 2020TornadoBonapartes Retreat$50K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Feb 16, 2025. 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, 7 hurricanes and 29 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Quitman County, 10 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Michael (2018), with top winds near 115 mph about 56 miles away.

7hurricanes
1major hurricanes (Category 3+)
29tropical storms
2021most recent: Fred

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 10, 2018MichaelCategory 3, 115 mph56 mi
Sep 23, 1975EloiseCategory 2, 100 mph60 mi
Aug 24, 1851UnnamedCategory 2, 95 mph61 mi
Sep 10, 1882UnnamedCategory 1, 85 mph56 mi
Aug 31, 1856UnnamedCategory 1, 85 mph63 mi
Jul 7, 1896UnnamedCategory 1, 80 mph58 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 17, 2021FredTropical storm, 45 mph54 mi
Oct 10, 2018MichaelCategory 3, 115 mph56 mi
Sep 11, 2017IrmaTropical storm, 45 mph57 mi
Sep 6, 2004FrancesTropical storm, 40 mph64 mi
Sep 23, 1975EloiseCategory 2, 100 mph60 mi
Jun 15, 1965UnnamedTropical 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 Quitman County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.1%of homes have federal flood insurance (1 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$335paid on 1 flood claims since 1978
1987costliest year, with $335 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 Quitman County

$104,600median home value (Georgia $303,300, US $332,700)
1986median year homes were built (Georgia 1992, US 1980)
37%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
48.4%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; 1,767 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
Barbour County, ALLow26
Randolph CountyVery Low11
Stewart CountyVery Low15
Clay CountyVery Low13

Common questions about Quitman County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Quitman County?

Drought has the highest expected yearly losses in Quitman County, about $1 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $397,139.

How many federal disasters has Quitman County had?

Quitman County has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1994, including 5 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Isaias in October 2026.

Is Quitman County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 136th 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 Quitman County?

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

NOAA records list 7 tornadoes in Quitman County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on December 5, 1954. The weather service has also logged 10 hail reports and 3 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Quitman County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 7 hurricanes and 29 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Quitman County, including 1 major hurricane (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was Hurricane Michael (2018), with winds near 115 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.