Fayette County, GA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Fayette County has experienced 14 federally declared disasters since 1977, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Fayette County's highest-rated hazards are lightning, tornado, and hail, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is relatively low (17th 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. Fayette County has been designated in 14 declarations since 1977, covering 9 disaster types including hurricane (4), biological (2), severe ice storm (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 |
| 2016 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2014 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2014 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Showing the 10 most recent of 14 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 | Very Low | 34.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 70.6 | 3 | 0 | $10K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 73.1 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 56.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 80.7 | 5 | 0 | $70K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 58.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 77.9 | 8 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 54.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 13.9 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 65.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 20.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 86.7 | 1 | 0 | $1K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 42.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 18.9 | 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
Fayette County ranks in the 17th 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 | 17th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 13th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 55th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 80th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 5th | 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 | 55th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 49th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 71.5% | — |
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 Fayette County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Fayette County, Georgia are lightning, tornado, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Fayette County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Fayette County has received 14 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (4 declarations).
Has Fayette County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Fayette County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Hurricane Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1977.
How does Fayette County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Clayton County, GA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Pike County, GA has the lowest (Very Low). Fayette County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Fayette County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Fayette 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. Fayette County's composite score of 61 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 61% of US counties.