Paulding County, GA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Paulding County has experienced 19 federally declared disasters since 1966, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Paulding County's highest-rated hazards are tornado, lightning, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 42% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (14th 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. Paulding County has been designated in 19 declarations since 1966, covering 10 disaster types including hurricane (6), severe storm (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Helene |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Zeta |
| 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 |
Showing the 10 most recent of 19 total declarations since 1966.
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 | Relatively Low | 65.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 73.9 | 16 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 67.1 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 58.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 88.9 | 2 | 0 | $50K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 52.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 72.6 | 8 | 0 | $1.4M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 35.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 20 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 64 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 76.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 84.9 | 3 | 1 | $60K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 36.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 64.5 | 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
Paulding County ranks in the 14th 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 | 14th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 26th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 34th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 72nd | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 1st | 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 | 76th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 71st | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 74.6% | — |
NOAA tracked 29 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 12 in 2016–20 vs 17 in 2021–25 (+42% — 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 Paulding County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Paulding County, Georgia are tornado, lightning, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Paulding County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Paulding County has received 19 federal disaster declarations since 1966, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (6 declarations).
Has Paulding County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Paulding County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Hurricane Helene (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1966.
How does Paulding County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Fulton County, GA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Haralson County, GA has the lowest (Very Low). Paulding County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Paulding County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Paulding 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. Paulding County's composite score of 70 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 70% of US counties.