Natural hazards · Alpharetta

Alpharetta, GA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Alpharetta comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 26 claims here since 2004. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Alpharetta?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Alpharetta to be higher than in 16% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding71%Tornadoes11%Earthquakes7%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Alpharetta faces

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

Inland flooding

71% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 34% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

11% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 58% of U.S. places

Earthquakes

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 60% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Alpharetta flood?

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

26paid claims since 2004

$481Kpaid to owners

4homes flooded more than once

20042026

Biggest named events

Late summer storms: 6 claims, $136K
Tropical Storm Ivan: 3 claims, $80K
Hurricane Dennis: 1 claim, $8K

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Alpharetta isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Fulton County.

Disasters that hit Alpharetta

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into AlpharettaDeclared for Fulton County only

2024

Hurricane Helene

129 households applied for aid $49K aid approved

2017

Hurricane Irma

$25K to the City of Alpharetta for repairs

2009

Severe Storms and Flooding

266 households applied for aid $221K aid approved $19K to the City of Alpharetta for repairs

2008

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

2 households applied for aid

2004

Hurricane Ivan

53 households applied for aid $77K aid approved $71K to the City of Alpharetta for repairs

2000

Severe Winter Storm

$41K to the City of Alpharetta for repairs

Fulton County has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Alpharetta

Alpharetta and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Miltonmostly inland floodingLow

Johns Creekmostly inland floodingLow

Roswellmostly inland floodingLow

Alpharettamostly inland floodingVery low

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. Alpharetta covers 16 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Alpharetta’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Alpharetta. 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 Alpharetta total about $14.2M 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.