Natural hazards · Canton

Canton, GA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Canton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 8 claims here since 1992. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Canton?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Canton to be higher than in 51% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding61%Tornadoes20%Cold waves9%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Canton 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 70% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

20% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places

Cold waves

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Canton flood?

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

8paid claims since 1992

$697Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19922026

Biggest named events

Late summer storms: 3 claims, $502K
Tropical Storm Ivan: 1 claim, $31K
Hurricane Dennis: 1 claim, $70K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Cherokee County.

Disasters that hit Canton

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CantonDeclared for Cherokee County only

2011

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

4 households applied for aid

2009

Severe Storms and Flooding

205 households applied for aid $170K aid approved $137K to the City of Canton for repairs

2004

Hurricane Ivan

24 households applied for aid $15K aid approved $45K to the City of Canton for repairs

2000

Severe Winter Storm

$6K to the City of Canton for repairs

Cherokee County has had 16 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. Canton covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Canton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Canton. 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 Canton total about $2.9M 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.