Hamilton County, Tennessee: hazard risk
FEMA rates Hamilton County's overall risk Relatively Moderate (score 93.3 of 100, higher than 93% of rated U.S. counties); 6 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by tornado, strong wind, riverine flooding. Its storm record holds 868 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado | Relatively High | 98.6 | $32M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 97.5 | $4.6M |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively High | 94.9 | $75M |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 94.8 | $1.9M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 93.8 | $594K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 85.8 | $652K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 95.7 | $17M |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 95.2 | $137K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 84.5 | $5.0M |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 82.6 | $1.0M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 75.6 | $1.2M |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 70.6 | $185K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 62.5 | $276K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 36.6 | $50K |
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 | 501 | 5 | $11M | 4th of 95 | 55th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 168 | 0 | $84K | 6th of 95 | 369th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 85 | 3 | $87M | 17th of 95 | 573rd of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 61 | 2 | – | 92nd of 95 | 2011th of 3,077 |
| Tornadoes | 27 | 11 | $166M | 56th of 95 | 1680th of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 8 | 0 | $3.0M | 24th of 95 | 494th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 6 | 1 | $46K | 74th of 95 | 2281st of 3,080 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 2 | 0 | $47K | 30th of 95 | 941st of 1,849 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 2 | 0 | $2.9M | 3rd of 95 | 188th of 2,278 |
| Drought | 1 | 0 | – | 88th of 95 | 2403rd of 3,063 |
| Extreme cold | 1 | 1 | – | 63rd of 95 | 2670th of 3,076 |
| Heat | 1 | 0 | – | 55th of 95 | 2214th of 3,076 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 3 | $25K | 52nd of 95 | 1963rd 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 Hamilton County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.