Natural hazards · Albany

Albany, GA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Albany comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 741 claims here since 1978. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Albany?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Albany to be higher than in 57% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding61%Hurricanes14%Tornadoes9%Everything else16%

By hazard

What Albany faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

61% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 68% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

14% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Tornadoes

9% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 71% of U.S. places

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Albany flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Albany, from FEMA’s records.

741paid claims since 1978

$19.4Mpaid to owners

52homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Alberto: 409 claims, $15.8M
Early winter storms: 3 claims, $22K
Hurricane Dennis: 3 claims, $93K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (6) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 15% off flood insurance. Albany is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 7) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Dougherty County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

300flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

40homes raised above flood level

3flood-prone homes bought out and moved

1storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Albany

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Albany itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the City of Albany.

Brought FEMA money into AlbanyDeclared for Dougherty County only

2018

Hurricane Michael

9,319 households applied for aid $1.7M aid approved $12.9M to the City of Albany for repairs

2017

Hurricane Irma

1 household applied for aid $500 aid approved $530K to the City of Albany for repairs

2017

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

2,297 households applied for aid $1.9M aid approved $1.5M to the City of Albany for repairs

2017

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds

2,820 households applied for aid $631K aid approved $11.4M to the City of Albany for repairs

2009

Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds

93 households applied for aid $204K aid approved $306K to the City of Albany for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

31 households applied for aid $111K aid approved

2005

Hurricane Katrina Evacuation

$118K to the City of Albany for repairs

2004

Tropical Storm Frances

$200K to the City of Albany for repairs

Dougherty County has had 13 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Albany covers 20 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Albany’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Albany. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Albany total about $20.4M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.