Dawson County, GA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Dawson County has experienced 19 federally declared disasters since 1974, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Dawson County's highest-rated hazards are lightning, landslide, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is relatively low (19th percentile nationally), indicating stronger recovery capacity than most US counties.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Dawson County has been designated in 19 declarations since 1974, covering 9 disaster types including hurricane (7), severe storm (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Helene |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Zeta |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2015 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2014 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
Showing the 10 most recent of 19 total declarations since 1974.
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 | 33.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 33.9 | 5 | 0 | $50K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 50.9 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 14.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 51.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 36.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 34.3 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 45.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 16.2 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 43.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 48.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 67.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 39.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 65.8 | 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
Dawson County ranks in the 19th percentile (Very 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 | 19th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 43rd | Low |
| Household characteristics | 14th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 32nd | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 9th | 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 | 68th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 63rd | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 92.0% | — |
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 Dawson County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Dawson County, Georgia are lightning, landslide, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Dawson County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Dawson County has received 19 federal disaster declarations since 1974, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (7 declarations).
Has Dawson County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Dawson County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Hurricane Helene (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1974.
How does Dawson County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Forsyth County, GA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Pickens County, GA has the lowest (Very Low). Dawson County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Dawson County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Dawson 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. Dawson County's composite score of 22 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 22% of US counties.