Natural hazards · Buford

Buford, GA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Buford comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 2013. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Buford?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Buford to be higher than in 17% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding58%Tornadoes16%Earthquakes9%Cold waves6%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Buford faces

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

Inland flooding

58% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 26% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

16% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 70% of U.S. places

Earthquakes

9% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 67% of U.S. places

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 78% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat 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 Buford flood?

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

2paid claims since 2013

$27Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

20132026

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. Buford isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Gwinnett County.

Disasters that hit Buford

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BufordDeclared for Gwinnett County only

2017

Hurricane Irma

$92K to the City of Buford for repairs

2009

Severe Storms and Flooding

35 households applied for aid $23K aid approved

2000

Severe Winter Storm

$24K to the City of Buford for repairs

Gwinnett County has had 11 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Buford

Buford and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Sugar Hillmostly inland floodingLow

Flowery Branchmostly inland floodingLow

Bufordmostly 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. Buford covers 5 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Buford’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Buford. 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 Buford total about $7.0M 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.