Natural hazards · Ellijay

Ellijay, GA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Ellijay comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 33 claims here since 1990. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Ellijay?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Ellijay to be higher than in 71% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding64%Tornadoes11%Cold waves11%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Ellijay faces

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

Inland flooding

64% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

11% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Cold waves

11% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 93% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce 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 Ellijay flood?

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

33paid claims since 1990

$939Kpaid to owners

4homes flooded more than once

19902026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Ivan: 13 claims, $355K
Early winter storms: 5 claims, $259K

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

Insurance rates: Gilmer County.

Disasters that hit Ellijay

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into EllijayDeclared for Gilmer County only

2017

Hurricane Irma

$4K to the City of Ellijay for repairs

2015

Severe Storms and Flooding

$28K to the City of Ellijay for repairs

2004

Hurricane Ivan

121 households applied for aid $357K aid approved $90K to the City of Ellijay for repairs

2000

Severe Winter Storm

$4K to the City of Ellijay for repairs

Gilmer County has had 15 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. Ellijay 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 Ellijay’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Ellijay. 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.