DeKalb County, GA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
DeKalb County has experienced 17 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
DeKalb County's highest-rated hazards are lightning, hail, and inland flooding, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 38% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (79th 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. DeKalb County has been designated in 17 declarations since 1973, covering 9 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 |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Tornadoes |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Showing the 10 most recent of 17 total declarations since 1973.
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 | 43.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 96.2 | 11 | 0 | $25K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 94.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 92.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 96.1 | 5 | 0 | $465K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 72.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively High | 98.1 | 13 | 0 | $4.0M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 95.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 65.4 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very High | 95.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 93 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very High | 98.6 | 2 | 0 | $40K |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 77.8 | 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
DeKalb County ranks in the 79th 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 | 79th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 78th | High |
| Household characteristics | 55th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 96th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 68th | 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 | 39th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 36th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 52.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 31 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 13 in 2016–20 vs 18 in 2021–25 (+38% — 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 DeKalb County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in DeKalb County, Georgia are lightning, hail, and inland flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has DeKalb County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. DeKalb County has received 17 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (5 declarations).
Has DeKalb County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for DeKalb County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Hurricane Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does DeKalb 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 Rockdale County, GA has the lowest (Relatively Low). DeKalb County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is DeKalb County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
DeKalb 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. DeKalb County's composite score of 94 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 94% of US counties.