Colquitt County, GA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Colquitt County has experienced 20 federally declared disasters since 1977, most recently Hurricane Debby in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Colquitt County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, tornado, and lightning, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 240% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (98th 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. Colquitt County has been designated in 20 declarations since 1977, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (8), severe storm (4), tropical storm (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Debby |
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Debby |
| 2023 | Hurricane | Hurricane Idalia |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Michael |
| 2019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Michael |
| 2017 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 20 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 Low | 69 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 59.6 | 9 | 0 | $5K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 56.5 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 61.7 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 85.4 | 9 | 0 | $1.3M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 90.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 62.5 | 19 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 62.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 33.8 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 20.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 69 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 81.6 | 2 | 1 | $1K |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 75.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 6.8 | 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
Colquitt County ranks in the 98th 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 | 98th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 96th | High |
| Household characteristics | 97th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 84th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 90th | 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 | 49th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 49th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 74.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 44 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 10 in 2016–20 vs 34 in 2021–25 (+240% — 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 Colquitt County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Colquitt County, Georgia are hurricane, tornado, and lightning. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Colquitt County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Colquitt County has received 20 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (8 declarations).
Has Colquitt County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Colquitt 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 Colquitt County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Thomas County, GA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Cook County, GA has the lowest (Very Low). Colquitt County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Colquitt County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Colquitt 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. Colquitt County's composite score of 71 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 71% of US counties.