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Wilcox County, Georgia

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

Very Low overall risk
124th of 159highest risk in Georgia
$4Mexpected losses a year
16federal declarations
1 in 500homes with flood insurance
Photo: CC0

Wilcox County, Georgia has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 87% of US counties. It ranks 124th of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are hurricanes, inland flooding and drought. FEMA estimates about $4.2 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $481 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (9 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 6 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 Wilcox County

$1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 6 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.
$947,812 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 4 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.

Drought

Moderate
$714,157 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 29 times a year.
  • Check local water restrictions.
  • Choose drought-tolerant plants.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
HurricaneLow77.3
$1M
Inland floodingVery Low9.2
$948K
DroughtModerate80.2
$714K
TornadoLow40.3
$664K
Strong windLow36.6
$280K
Heat waveLow45.0
$220K
HailVery Low32.6
$101K
EarthquakeVery Low37.7
$100K
LightningLow31.8
$88K
Cold waveVery Low7.3
$33K
WildfireVery Low40.0
$20K
Ice stormVery Low14.0
$6K
Winter weatherVery Low2.5
$1K
LandslideVery Low4.6
$5

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

By type

Hurricane7
Severe Storm3
Tornado2
Tropical Storm2
Drought1
Winter Storm1

Most recent

Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 30, 2024Hurricane HeleneMajor disaster
Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
Aug 5, 2024Hurricane DebbyEmergency
Oct 14, 2018Hurricane MichaelMajor disaster
Oct 10, 2018Hurricane MichaelEmergency
Sep 15, 2017Hurricane IrmaMajor disaster
Sep 8, 2017Hurricane IrmaEmergency
Jan 26, 2017Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 23, 2009Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Show all 16
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 24, 2004Tropical Storm FrancesMajor disaster
Mar 11, 1998Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 7, 1994Tornadoes, Flooding Torrential Rain(Trop Storm Alberto)Major disaster
Feb 23, 1990Severe Storms, Tornaodes & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 20, 1977DroughtEmergency

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

Storm history since 1955

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 112 storm reports in Wilcox County since 1955, with 1 death and 11 injuries and about $3.8 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on November 8, 1989.

14tornadoes
21hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
68damaging thunderstorm winds
5floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Nov 8, 1989F2–8 / 1
Jan 22, 2017EF2Double Run0 / 0
Apr 23, 1971F2–1 / 0
May 23, 2017EF1Double Run0 / 0
Jan 20, 1963F1–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 10, 2009TornadoDouble Run$700K
May 23, 2017TornadoDouble Run$500K
Jan 22, 2017TornadoDouble Run$300K
Nov 8, 1989Tornado–$250K
Jan 20, 1963Tornado–$250K
Oct 9, 2008Thunderstorm WindRochelle$250K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jan 12, 2023. 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, 11 hurricanes and 36 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Wilcox County, 18 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Helene (2024), with top winds near 100 mph about 63 miles away.

11hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
36tropical storms
2024most recent: Helene

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 2024HeleneCategory 2, 100 mph63 mi
Oct 9, 1894UnnamedCategory 1, 90 mph58 mi
Oct 11, 2018MichaelCategory 1, 85 mph52 mi
Oct 2, 1898UnnamedCategory 1, 85 mph51 mi
Aug 24, 1851UnnamedCategory 1, 85 mph60 mi
Oct 10, 1852UnnamedCategory 1, 80 mph56 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 2024HeleneCategory 2, 100 mph63 mi
Aug 30, 2023IdaliaTropical storm, 70 mph64 mi
Jul 7, 2021ElsaTropical storm, 50 mph59 mi
Oct 11, 2018MichaelCategory 1, 85 mph52 mi
Sep 11, 2017IrmaTropical storm, 50 mph63 mi
Sep 2, 2016HermineTropical storm, 60 mph60 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 Wilcox County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (6 policies)
5.3%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$0paid on 0 flood claims since 1978
n/acostliest year

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 Wilcox County

$87,600median home value (Georgia $303,300, US $332,700)
1979median year homes were built (Georgia 1992, US 1980)
51%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
34.9%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; 3,462 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
Crisp CountyLow15
Dodge CountyLow15
Ben Hill CountyVery Low13
Telfair CountyVery Low16
Dooly CountyVery Low15
Pulaski CountyVery Low14
Turner CountyVery Low14

Common questions about Wilcox County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Wilcox County?

Hurricane has the highest expected yearly losses in Wilcox County, about $1 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $947,812.

How many federal disasters has Wilcox County had?

Wilcox County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 9 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.

Is Wilcox County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 124th 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 Wilcox County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 500 homes in Wilcox 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 Wilcox County had?

NOAA records list 14 tornadoes in Wilcox County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on November 8, 1989. The weather service has also logged 21 hail reports and 5 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Wilcox County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 11 hurricanes and 36 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Wilcox County. The strongest was Hurricane Helene (2024), with winds near 100 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.