Natural hazards · Tifton

Tifton, GA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Tifton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 43 claims here since 1980. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Tifton?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Tifton to be higher than in 21% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding34%Hurricanes25%Tornadoes22%Everything else19%

By hazard

What Tifton faces

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

Inland flooding

34% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 11% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Hurricanes

25% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Tornadoes

22% of expected damage

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

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat 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 Tifton flood?

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

43paid claims since 1980

$2.2Mpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19802026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Helene: 1 claim, $5K

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

🏷️ 10% off flood insurance. Tifton is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 8) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Tift County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

9flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Tifton

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into TiftonDeclared for Tift County only

2024

Hurricane Helene

3,455 households applied for aid $2.3M aid approved $259K to the City of Tifton for repairs

2023

Hurricane Idalia

$23K to the City of Tifton for repairs

2018

Hurricane Michael

769 households applied for aid $136K aid approved $181K to the City of Tifton for repairs

2017

Hurricane Irma

$125K to the City of Tifton for repairs

2009

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

124 households applied for aid $237K aid approved $31K to the City of Tifton for repairs

2004

Tropical Storm Frances

$43K to the City of Tifton for repairs

Tift County has had 14 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. Tifton covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Tifton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Tifton. 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 Tifton total about $4.6M 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.