Dougherty County, GA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Dougherty County has experienced 17 federally declared disasters since 1966, most recently Hurricane Helene in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Dougherty County's highest-rated hazards are lightning, hurricane, and inland flooding, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 118% 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. Dougherty County has been designated in 17 declarations since 1966, covering 6 disaster types including hurricane (6), severe storm (5), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Helene |
| 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 |
| 2017 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, And Straight-Line Winds |
Showing the 10 most recent of 17 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 | 70.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 87.6 | 52 | 0 | $150K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 77.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 76.2 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 79.2 | 2 | 5 | $300.0M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 89.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 51.2 | 11 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 71.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 47.7 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 18.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 67.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 91.5 | 1 | 0 | $7K |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 71 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 15.5 | 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
Dougherty 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 | 100th | High |
| Household characteristics | 88th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 98th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 77th | 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 | 56th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 56th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 44.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 70 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 22 in 2016–20 vs 48 in 2021–25 (+118% — 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 Dougherty County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Dougherty County, Georgia are lightning, hurricane, and inland flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Dougherty County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Dougherty County has received 17 federal disaster declarations since 1966, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (6 declarations).
Has Dougherty County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Dougherty County include Hurricane Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1966.
How does Dougherty County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Mitchell County, GA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Baker County, GA has the lowest (Very Low). Dougherty County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Dougherty County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Dougherty 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. Dougherty County's composite score of 83 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 83% of US counties.