Natural hazards · Wadley

Wadley, GA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Wadley comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 2024. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Wadley?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Wadley to be higher than in 29% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and drought.

Inland flooding31%Drought18%Hurricanes14%Tornadoes12%Earthquakes8%Everything else16%

By hazard

What Wadley faces

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

Inland flooding

31% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 24% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 9 years in the area

Drought

18% of expected damage

Recorded about 43 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

14% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 9 years in the area

Tornadoes

12% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 20 years in the area

Earthquakes

8% of expected damage

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

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Wadley flood?

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

1paid claims since 2024

$9Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20242026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Helene: 1 claim, $9K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Jefferson County.

Disasters that hit Wadley

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WadleyDeclared for Jefferson County only

2024

Hurricane Helene

1,137 households applied for aid $1.8M aid approved $786K to the City of Wadley for repairs

2018

Hurricane Michael

$99K to the City of Wadley for repairs

2017

Hurricane Irma

$97K to the City of Wadley for repairs

2008

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

8 households applied for aid $9K aid approved

Jefferson County has had 12 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. Wadley covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Wadley’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Wadley. 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 Wadley total about $1.3M 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.