Muscogee County, GA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Muscogee County has experienced 13 federally declared disasters since 1990, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Muscogee County's highest-rated hazards are lightning, heat wave, and inland flooding, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 35 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is elevated (94th 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. Muscogee County has been designated in 13 declarations since 1990, covering 5 disaster types including hurricane (5), severe storm (4), 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 |
| 2019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Michael |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2016 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2007 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Tornadoes |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Showing the 10 most recent of 13 total declarations since 1990.
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 | 61.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 87.3 | 14 | 0 | $85K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 84.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 91 | 2 | 2 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 71.3 | 5 | 0 | $775K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 82.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 81.2 | 13 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 75.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 27 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 58 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 13.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 94.1 | 1 | 0 | $500 |
| Drought | Very Low | 26 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 73.8 | 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
Muscogee County ranks in the 94th 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 | 94th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 92nd | High |
| Household characteristics | 87th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 93rd | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 86th | 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 | 63rd | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 60th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 19.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 35 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 17 in 2016–20 vs 18 in 2021–25 (+6% — relatively stable).
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 Muscogee County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Muscogee County, Georgia are lightning, heat wave, and inland flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Muscogee County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Muscogee County has received 13 federal disaster declarations since 1990, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (5 declarations).
Has Muscogee County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Muscogee County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Hurricane Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1990.
How does Muscogee County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Lee County, AL has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Chattahoochee County, GA has the lowest (Very Low). Muscogee County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Muscogee County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Muscogee 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. Muscogee County's composite score of 82 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 82% of US counties.