Natural hazards · Smyrna

Smyrna, GA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Smyrna comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 53 claims here since 1989. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Smyrna?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Smyrna to be higher than in 25% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding55%Tornadoes19%Cold waves11%Earthquakes6%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Smyrna faces

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

Inland flooding

55% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 37% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

19% of expected damage

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

Cold waves

11% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 60% 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 Smyrna flood?

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

53paid claims since 1989

$887Kpaid to owners

7homes flooded more than once

19892026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Idalia: 8 claims, $275K
Late summer storms: 3 claims, $8K
Hurricane Dennis: 2 claims, $9K

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

Insurance rates: Cobb County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Smyrna

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SmyrnaDeclared for Cobb County only

2009

Severe Storms and Flooding

160 households applied for aid $137K aid approved $9K to the City of Smyrna for repairs

2004

Hurricane Ivan

20 households applied for aid $25K aid approved $13K to the City of Smyrna for repairs

2000

Severe Winter Storm

$72K to the City of Smyrna for repairs

Cobb County has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Smyrna

Smyrna and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Mariettamostly inland floodingLow

Mabletonmostly inland floodingLow

Smyrnamostly inland floodingLow

Atlantamostly inland floodingLow

Fair Oaksmostly inland floodingVery low

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. Smyrna covers 10 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Smyrna’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Smyrna. 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 Smyrna total about $10.9M 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.