Cobb County, GA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Cobb County has experienced 19 federally declared disasters since 1966, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Cobb County's highest-rated hazards are tornado, hail, and lightning, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 36 storm events in the county over the past decade.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Cobb County has been designated in 19 declarations since 1966, covering 10 disaster types including hurricane (5), severe storm (4), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Helene |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2014 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ivan |
Showing the 10 most recent of 19 total declarations since 1966.
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 | 51.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 96.1 | 11 | 0 | $1.9M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 92.3 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 89 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 98.3 | 4 | 0 | $150K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 68.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively High | 97.3 | 19 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 83.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 75.4 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 93.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 96.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very High | 97.2 | 1 | 0 | $10K |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 76.7 | 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
Cobb County ranks in the 40th percentile (Low) 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 | 40th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 41st | Low |
| Household characteristics | 35th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 87th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 22nd | Very low |
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 | 52nd | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 47th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 52.3% | — |
NOAA tracked 36 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 19 in 2016–20 vs 17 in 2021–25 (-11% — frequency decreasing).
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 Cobb County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Cobb County, Georgia are tornado, hail, and lightning. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Cobb County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Cobb County has received 19 federal disaster declarations since 1966, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (5 declarations).
Has Cobb County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Cobb County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Hurricane Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1966.
How does Cobb County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Fulton County, GA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Bartow County, GA has the lowest (Relatively Low). Cobb County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Cobb County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Cobb 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. Cobb County's composite score of 94 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 94% of US counties.