Natural hazards · Oxford

Oxford, GA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Oxford comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Oxford?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Oxford to be higher than in 7% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding47%Tornadoes21%Earthquakes10%Strong wind5%Hail5%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Oxford faces

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

Inland flooding

47% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 7% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Tornadoes

21% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 74% of U.S. places

Earthquakes

10% of expected damage

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

Strong wind

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 69% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Hail

5% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesLightning

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 Oxford flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Newton County.

Disasters that hit Oxford

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into OxfordDeclared for Newton County only

2024

Hurricane Helene

37 households applied for aid $55K aid approved

2023

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes

35 households applied for aid $8K to the City of Oxford for repairs

2017

Hurricane Irma

$68K to the City of Oxford for repairs

2009

Severe Storms and Flooding

8 households applied for aid $43K aid approved

Newton 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. Oxford covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Oxford’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Oxford. 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 Oxford total about $924K 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.