Natural hazards · Rome

Rome, GA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Rome comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 233 claims here since 1979. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Rome?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Rome to be higher than in 48% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding47%Tornadoes25%Cold waves10%Earthquakes8%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Rome 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

Above average · higher than 55% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

25% of expected damage

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

Cold waves

10% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 75% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Rome flood?

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

233paid claims since 1979

$2.6Mpaid to owners

31homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Early winter storms: 4 claims, $322K
Hurricane Helene: 1 claim, $140K

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Floyd County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

12flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

1homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Rome

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into RomeDeclared for Floyd County only

2011

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

741 households applied for aid $272K aid approved $133K to the City of Rome for repairs

2008

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

5 households applied for aid $7K aid approved

2000

Severe Winter Storm

$10K to the City of Rome for repairs

Floyd County has had 16 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. Rome covers 10 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Rome’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Rome. 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 Rome total about $14.3M 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.