Lamar County, GA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Lamar County has experienced 19 federally declared disasters since 1977, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Lamar County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, drought, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Lamar County has been designated in 19 declarations since 1977, covering 8 disaster types including hurricane (6), severe storm (5), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Helene |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Michael |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2016 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2014 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
Showing the 10 most recent of 19 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 | 34.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 15.2 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 40.1 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 39 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 34.7 | 3 | 0 | $215K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 64.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 39.4 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 31.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 4.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 26.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 31.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 52.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 12.6 | 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
Lamar County ranks in the 41st percentile (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 | 41st | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 59th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 6th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 71st | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 37th | 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 | 66th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 62nd | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 86.6% | — |
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 Lamar County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Lamar County, Georgia are hurricane, drought, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Lamar County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Lamar County has received 19 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (6 declarations).
Has Lamar County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Lamar County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Hurricane Helene (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1977.
How does Lamar County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Henry County, GA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Pike County, GA has the lowest (Very Low). Lamar County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Lamar County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Lamar 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. Lamar County's composite score of 8 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 8% of US counties.