Nicholas County, Kentucky: hazard risk
FEMA rates Nicholas County's overall risk Very Low (score 19.0 of 100, higher than 18% of rated U.S. counties). Its storm record holds 185 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 Low | 48.9 | $340K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 41.3 | $3.2M |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 35.7 | $445K |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 34.0 | $81K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 31.7 | $20K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 27.3 | $17K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 54.9 | $1K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 38.5 | $89K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 31.2 | $10K |
| Hail | Very Low | 26.2 | $63K |
| Drought | Very Low | 25.3 | $8K |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 23.4 | $54K |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 19.2 | $134K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 2.3 | $542 |
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 | 71 | 0 | $992K | 77th of 118 | 747th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 66 | 2 | $5.0M | 17th of 118 | 96th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 29 | 0 | – | 68th of 118 | 1004th of 3,077 |
| Extreme cold | 6 | 0 | – | 55th of 118 | 810th of 3,076 |
| Hail | 5 | 0 | $26K | 118th of 118 | 2772nd of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 5 | 0 | $6K | 79th of 118 | 1563rd of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 0 | – | 59th of 118 | 857th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 0 | $67K | 110th of 118 | 2621st 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 Nicholas County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.