Decatur County, GA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Decatur County has experienced 19 federally declared disasters since 1966, most recently Hurricane Debby in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Decatur County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, lightning, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 20 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is elevated (97th 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. Decatur County has been designated in 19 declarations since 1966, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (7), severe storm (5), biological (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 |
| 2016 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
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 | Relatively Low | 64 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 77 | 7 | 0 | $300K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 40.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 49.2 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 80.8 | 5 | 0 | $60K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 90.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 44.3 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 35.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 23.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 6.7 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 74.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 87 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 73.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 19.9 | 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
Decatur County ranks in the 97th 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 | 97th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 97th | High |
| Household characteristics | 75th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 87th | 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 | 54th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 55th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 75.3% | — |
NOAA tracked 20 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 6 in 2016–20 vs 14 in 2021–25 .
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 Decatur County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Decatur County, Georgia are hurricane, lightning, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Decatur County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Decatur County has received 19 federal disaster declarations since 1966, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (7 declarations).
Has Decatur County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Decatur County include Hurricane Helene (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024), Hurricane Debby (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1966.
How does Decatur County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Gadsden County, FL has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Baker County, GA has the lowest (Very Low). Decatur County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Decatur County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Decatur 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. Decatur County's composite score of 76 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 76% of US counties.