Barren County, Kentucky: hazard risk
FEMA rates Barren County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 67.9 of 100, higher than 67% of rated U.S. counties); 1 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by strong wind. Its storm record holds 381 events since 1950.
FEMA's rating for each hazard
These are FEMA's county-wide model ratings and this county's storm record. They are not an assessment of any property, address or building, and not insurance advice: a property's risk depends on its own elevation, construction and location.
FEMA gives each hazard its own rating, and a rating does not follow the score from one hazard to the next: a hazard with a higher score can carry a lower rating than another. The table sorts by FEMA's rating, then by score (0 to 100, the county against every other county for that hazard).
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 89.2 | $1.4M |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 89.9 | $1.2M |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 85.4 | $3.9M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 80.7 | $159K |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 79.3 | $514K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 77.0 | $241K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 72.6 | $1.8M |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 77.4 | $973K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 67.8 | $8.8M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 61.9 | $461K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 48.9 | $99K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 45.0 | $33K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 42.0 | $557 |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 16.6 | $4K |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. A model of future loss, not a count of past events. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
What the record holds
| Hazard | Records | Deaths | Damage | Rank in state | Rank in U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 218 | 0 | $6.0M | 79th of 118 | 781st of 3,080 |
| Hail | 57 | 0 | $563K | 98th of 118 | 2007th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 44 | 1 | $44K | 110th of 118 | 1158th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 27 | 1 | – | 115th of 118 | 2206th of 3,077 |
| Tornadoes | 21 | 3 | $57M | 42nd of 118 | 982nd of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 6 | 1 | $162K | 18th of 118 | 703rd of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 4 | 0 | – | 108th of 118 | 1951st of 3,076 |
| High wind and dust storms | 3 | 1 | $94K | 110th of 118 | 2597th of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 0 | – | 98th of 118 | 1909th of 3,080 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Barren County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.