Quitman County, GA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Quitman County has experienced 11 federally declared disasters since 1994, most recently Hurricane Helene in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Quitman County's highest-rated hazards are drought, hurricane, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is elevated (82nd 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. Quitman County has been designated in 11 declarations since 1994, covering 5 disaster types including hurricane (6), biological (2), tropical storm (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Helene |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Michael |
| 2019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Michael |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 1998 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 1996 | Hurricane | Hurricane Opal |
Showing the 10 most recent of 11 total declarations since 1994.
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 | 39.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 4.7 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 17.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 16.4 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 27.5 | 4 | 0 | $150K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 62.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 16.4 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 7.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 1.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 42.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 19.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively High | 91.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 28.5 | 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
Quitman County ranks in the 82nd 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 | 82nd | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 91st | High |
| Household characteristics | 55th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 91st | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 56th | Moderate |
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 | 62nd | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 62nd | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 88.0% | — |
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 Quitman County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Quitman County, Georgia are drought, hurricane, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Quitman County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Quitman County has received 11 federal disaster declarations since 1994, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (6 declarations).
Has Quitman County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Quitman County include Hurricane Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1994.
How does Quitman County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Barbour County, AL has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Webster County, GA has the lowest (Very Low). Quitman County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Quitman County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Quitman 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. Quitman County's composite score of 8 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 8% of US counties.