Madison County, Tennessee: hazard risk
FEMA rates Madison County's overall risk Relatively Moderate (score 92.1 of 100, higher than 92% of rated U.S. counties); 6 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by earthquake, tornado, cold wave. Its storm record holds 703 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earthquake | Relatively High | 98.2 | $46M |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 97.2 | $15M |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 96.8 | $12M |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 90.2 | $962K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 88.2 | $1.5M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 88.1 | $614K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 91.6 | $2.7M |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 80.2 | $13K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 72.6 | $11M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 62.2 | $205K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 55.2 | $166K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 51.9 | $54K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 43.3 | $25K |
| Hail | Very Low | 16.3 | $44K |
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 | 212 | 0 | $3.9M | 64th of 95 | 832nd of 3,080 |
| Hail | 156 | 0 | $272K | 11th of 95 | 563rd of 3,080 |
| Heat | 98 | 2 | – | 12th of 95 | 145th of 3,076 |
| Floods | 83 | 2 | $23M | 13th of 95 | 504th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 62 | 1 | $56K | 61st of 95 | 1370th of 3,077 |
| Tornadoes | 35 | 20 | $289M | 14th of 95 | 535th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 23 | 0 | – | 56th of 95 | 1117th of 3,063 |
| Extreme cold | 12 | 1 | – | 16th of 95 | 1150th of 3,076 |
| High wind and dust storms | 10 | 0 | $151K | 52nd of 95 | 1897th of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 9 | 1 | $547K | 22nd of 95 | 453rd of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 0 | – | 31st of 95 | 1539th of 3,080 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 1 | 0 | $45K | 31st of 95 | 946th of 1,849 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Madison County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.