Pierce County, GA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Pierce County has experienced 19 federally declared disasters since 1977, most recently Hurricane Debby in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Pierce County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, wildfire, and drought, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Pierce County has been designated in 19 declarations since 1977, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (10), tropical storm (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Debby |
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Debby |
| 2023 | Hurricane | Hurricane Idalia |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Michael |
| 2019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Matthew |
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 | Relatively Low | 69 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 18.3 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 42.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 38 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 36.6 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 84.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 10.8 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 13.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 3.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 0.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 33.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 36.3 | 3 | 0 | $9K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 50.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 3.2 | 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
Pierce County ranks in the 31st 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 | 31st | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 51st | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 24th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 46th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 17th | 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 | 56th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 55th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 83.3% | — |
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 Pierce County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Pierce County, Georgia are hurricane, wildfire, and drought. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Pierce County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Pierce County has received 19 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (10 declarations).
Has Pierce County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Pierce County include Tropical Storm Debby (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024), Hurricane Debby (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1977.
How does Pierce County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Appling County, GA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Long County, GA has the lowest (Very Low). Pierce County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Pierce County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Pierce 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. Pierce County's composite score of 23 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 23% of US counties.