Natural hazards · Lakeland

Lakeland, GA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Lakeland comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Lakeland?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Lakeland to be higher than in 34% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding33%Hurricanes27%Tornadoes14%Cold waves12%Everything else15%

By hazard

What Lakeland faces

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

Inland flooding

33% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 28 years in the area

Hurricanes

27% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Tornadoes

14% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 56% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 38 years in the area

Cold waves

12% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 65% of U.S. places

Recorded about once 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 Lakeland flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Lakeland.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Lanier County.

Disasters that hit Lakeland

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into LakelandDeclared for Lanier County only

2024

Hurricane Helene

1,834 households applied for aid $3.6M aid approved $721K to the City of Lakeland for repairs

2023

Hurricane Idalia

1 household applied for aid $80K to the City of Lakeland for repairs

2017

Hurricane Irma

1 household applied for aid $38K to the City of Lakeland for repairs

2009

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

17 households applied for aid $72K aid approved

2004

Tropical Storm Frances

$54K to the City of Lakeland for repairs

Lanier County has had 12 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. Lakeland 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 Lakeland’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Lakeland. 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.