Chatham County, GA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Chatham County has experienced 19 federally declared disasters since 1977, most recently Hurricane Debby in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Chatham County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, coastal flooding, and lightning, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 50% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (81st 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. Chatham County has been designated in 19 declarations since 1977, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (9), tropical storm (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Debby |
| 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 Dorian |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Matthew |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Matthew |
Showing the 10 most recent of 19 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 | Relatively Moderate | 92.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 90.8 | 32 | 0 | $62K |
| Coastal Flooding | Very High | 96 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 94.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 95.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 77.4 | 8 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very High | 99.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 69.1 | 30 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 80.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 67.9 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 89.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 79.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 95.4 | 23 | 1 | $2.6M |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 37.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 18.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Insufficient Data | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Chatham County ranks in the 81st 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 | 81st | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 81st | High |
| Household characteristics | 56th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 89th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 72nd | Moderate |
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 | 75th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 83rd | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 44.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 95 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 38 in 2016–20 vs 57 in 2021–25 (+50% — frequency increasing).
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 Chatham County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Chatham County, Georgia are hurricane, coastal flooding, and lightning. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Chatham County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Chatham County has received 19 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (9 declarations).
Has Chatham County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Chatham County include Tropical Storm Debby (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024), Hurricane Debby (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1977.
How does Chatham County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Beaufort County, SC has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Effingham County, GA has the lowest (Relatively Low). Chatham County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Chatham County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Chatham 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. Chatham County's composite score of 97 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 97% of US counties.