Towns County, GA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Towns County has experienced 14 federally declared disasters since 1993, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Towns County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, cold wave, and ice storm, 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. Towns County has been designated in 14 declarations since 1993, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (6), biological (2), severe storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 |
| 2016 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2014 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Showing the 10 most recent of 14 total declarations since 1993.
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 | 53.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 53.6 | 1 | 0 | $3K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 48.1 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 4.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 48.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 50 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 27.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 28.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 8.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 55 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 74.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 50.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 41 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 90.3 | 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
Towns County ranks in the 56th percentile (Moderate) 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 | 56th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 76th | High |
| Household characteristics | 21st | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 12th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 69th | 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 | 74th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 70th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 92.9% | — |
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 Towns County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Towns County, Georgia are landslide, cold wave, and ice storm. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Towns County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Towns County has received 14 federal disaster declarations since 1993, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (6 declarations).
Has Towns County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Towns County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Hurricane Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1993.
How does Towns County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Macon County, NC has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Clay County, NC has the lowest (Very Low). Towns County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Towns County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Towns 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. Towns County's composite score of 40 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 40% of US counties.