Gwinnett County, GA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Gwinnett County has experienced 14 federally declared disasters since 1977, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Gwinnett County's highest-rated hazards are lightning, hail, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 55% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Gwinnett County has been designated in 14 declarations since 1977, covering 8 disaster types including hurricane (4), severe storm (3), 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 |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2000 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
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 | 46.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 97.4 | 10 | 0 | $97K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 93.3 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 93 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 97.5 | 1 | 0 | $100K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 71.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively High | 98 | 20 | 0 | $7.5M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 92.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 71 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 94.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 93.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very High | 98.7 | 11 | 0 | $198K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 56 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 79.3 | 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
Gwinnett County ranks in the 64th percentile (Moderate) 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 | 64th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 68th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 70th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 95th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 25th | 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 | 38th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 35th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 39.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 42 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 29 in 2016–20 vs 13 in 2021–25 (-55% — frequency decreasing).
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 Gwinnett County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Gwinnett County, Georgia are lightning, hail, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Gwinnett County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Gwinnett 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 Gwinnett County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Gwinnett County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Hurricane Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1977.
How does Gwinnett County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, DeKalb County, GA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Barrow County, GA has the lowest (Relatively Low). Gwinnett County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Gwinnett County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Gwinnett 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. Gwinnett County's composite score of 95 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 95% of US counties.