Mitchell County, GA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Mitchell County has experienced 18 federally declared disasters since 1974, most recently Hurricane Debby in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Mitchell County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, tornado, and drought, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 192% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (99th 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. Mitchell County has been designated in 18 declarations since 1974, covering 6 disaster types including hurricane (6), severe storm (5), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Debby |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Michael |
| 2019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Michael |
| 2017 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
Showing the 10 most recent of 18 total declarations since 1974.
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 | 56.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 52.8 | 31 | 0 | $50K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 47.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 48.4 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 81.6 | 5 | 0 | $700K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 89.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 60.1 | 8 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 47.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 20.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 14.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 61.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 62.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 78.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 11.2 | 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
Mitchell County ranks in the 99th 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 | 99th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 99th | High |
| Household characteristics | 93rd | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 89th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 92nd | 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 | 49th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 49th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 73.3% | — |
NOAA tracked 47 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 12 in 2016–20 vs 35 in 2021–25 (+192% — 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 Mitchell County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Mitchell County, Georgia are hurricane, tornado, and drought. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Mitchell County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Mitchell County has received 18 federal disaster declarations since 1974, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (6 declarations).
Has Mitchell County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Mitchell County include Hurricane Helene (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024), Hurricane Debby (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1974.
How does Mitchell County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Dougherty County, GA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Baker County, GA has the lowest (Very Low). Mitchell County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Mitchell County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Mitchell 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. Mitchell County's composite score of 63 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 63% of US counties.