Natural hazards · Newton

Newton, GA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Newton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 25 claims here since 1994. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Newton?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Newton to be higher than in 88% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding44%Hurricanes22%Cold waves12%Tornadoes9%Drought8%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Newton faces

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

Inland flooding

44% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Hurricanes

22% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Cold waves

12% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 66% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 77% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 8 years in the area

Drought

8% of expected damage

Recorded about 46 times a year in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

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 Newton flood?

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

25paid claims since 1994

$547Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19942026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Alberto: 5 claims, $111K
Early winter storms: 2 claims, $67K

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

Insurance rates: Baker County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

47flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

1flood-prone homes bought out and moved

Disasters that hit Newton

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into NewtonDeclared for Baker County only

2018

Hurricane Michael

471 households applied for aid $343K aid approved $18K to the City of Newton for repairs

2009

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

15 households applied for aid $29K aid approved

2007

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

62 households applied for aid $174K aid approved

Baker County has had 15 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

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. Newton 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 Newton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Newton. 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.