Natural hazards · Bainbridge

Bainbridge, GA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Bainbridge comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 37 claims here since 1978. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Bainbridge?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Bainbridge to be higher than in 85% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding54%Hurricanes19%Tornadoes14%Cold waves6%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Bainbridge faces

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

Inland flooding

54% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Hurricanes

19% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Tornadoes

14% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 75% of U.S. places

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat 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 Bainbridge flood?

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

37paid claims since 1978

$969Kpaid to owners

6homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Alberto: 11 claims, $372K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Decatur County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

31flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

6buildings retrofitted against wind

Disasters that hit Bainbridge

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BainbridgeDeclared for Decatur County only

2018

Hurricane Michael

3,450 households applied for aid $1.2M aid approved $1.9M to the City of Bainbridge for repairs

2017

Hurricane Irma

$169K to the City of Bainbridge for repairs

2015

Severe Storms and Flooding

$229K to the City of Bainbridge for repairs

2009

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

74 households applied for aid $183K aid approved

2004

Tropical Storm Frances

$8K to the City of Bainbridge for repairs

Decatur County has had 14 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. Bainbridge is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

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

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.