Rhea County, Tennessee: hazard risk
FEMA rates Rhea County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 49.2 of 100, higher than 49% of rated U.S. counties). Its storm record holds 374 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 Moderate | 66.2 | $746K |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 59.9 | $286K |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 82.6 | $20K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 75.9 | $1.0M |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 62.7 | $8.5M |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 59.3 | $1.2M |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 56.5 | $1.3M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 44.3 | $46K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 39.6 | $54K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 37.1 | $40K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 35.1 | $126K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 48.3 | $37K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 46.6 | $45K |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 28.4 | $105K |
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 | 230 | 0 | $3.5M | 14th of 95 | 107th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 65 | 0 | $21K | 18th of 95 | 833rd of 3,080 |
| Floods | 33 | 1 | $19M | 28th of 95 | 710th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 32 | 0 | $14K | 69th of 95 | 1474th of 3,077 |
| High wind and dust storms | 4 | 0 | $46K | 71st of 95 | 2191st of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 4 | 0 | $3.4M | 88th of 95 | 2446th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 1 | 0 | – | 72nd of 95 | 2307th of 3,063 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 0 | – | 38th of 95 | 1624th of 3,080 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 1 | 0 | $19K | 18th of 95 | 822nd of 1,849 |
| Lightning | 1 | 0 | $604K | 68th of 95 | 1580th 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 Rhea County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.