Ben Hill County, GA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Ben Hill County has experienced 15 federally declared disasters since 1977, most recently Hurricane Debby in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Ben Hill County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, tornado, and drought, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is elevated (93rd percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Ben Hill County has been designated in 15 declarations since 1977, covering 6 disaster types including hurricane (7), biological (2), tropical storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Debby |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Michael |
| 2019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Michael |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, And Straight-Line Winds |
Showing the 10 most recent of 15 total declarations since 1977.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Very Low | 42.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 23.3 | 10 | 0 | $170K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 58.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 41.8 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 64.7 | 1 | 0 | $100K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 77.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 24.4 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 37.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 10 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 9.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 40.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 49 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 61.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 2.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Ben Hill County ranks in the 93rd percentile (High) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 93rd | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 89th | High |
| Household characteristics | 74th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 84th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 95th | High |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 53rd | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 52nd | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 72.9% | — |
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Ben Hill County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Ben Hill County, Georgia are hurricane, tornado, and drought. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Ben Hill County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Ben Hill County has received 15 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (7 declarations).
Has Ben Hill County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Ben Hill County include Hurricane Helene (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024), Hurricane Debby (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1977.
How does Ben Hill County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Coffee County, GA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Wilcox County, GA has the lowest (Very Low). Ben Hill County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Ben Hill County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Ben Hill County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Ben Hill County's composite score of 25 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 25% of US counties.