Carter County, Tennessee: hazard risk
FEMA rates Carter County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 63.2 of 100, higher than 63% 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 377 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 | 84.0 | $1.1M |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 91.9 | $50K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 77.4 | $12M |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 70.9 | $352K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 70.6 | $568K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 59.1 | $89K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 54.5 | $772K |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 45.4 | $735K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 36.4 | $27K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 32.5 | $23K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 60.8 | $61K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 52.0 | $61K |
| Hail | Very Low | 23.5 | $59K |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 13.7 | $21K |
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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 149 | 0 | $54K | 5th of 95 | 373rd of 3,077 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 111 | 2 | $1.3M | 61st of 95 | 794th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 43 | 7 | $99M | 46th of 95 | 924th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 33 | 0 | $351K | 6th of 95 | 544th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 32 | 0 | $108K | 81st of 95 | 1949th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 4 | 0 | $476K | 84th of 95 | 2351st of 3,080 |
| Drought | 2 | 0 | – | 76th of 95 | 2332nd of 3,063 |
| Extreme cold | 1 | 0 | – | 52nd of 95 | 2552nd of 3,076 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 0 | $1K | 41st of 95 | 1666th of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 1 | 0 | $53K | 70th of 95 | 1625th 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 Carter County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.