Home › Kentucky › Boyle County

Boyle County, Kentucky

Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.

Very Low overall risk
53rd of 120highest risk in Kentucky
$13Mexpected losses a year
19federal declarations
1 in 125homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Boyle County, Kentucky has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 58% of US counties. It ranks 53rd of 120 counties in Kentucky. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and strong wind. FEMA estimates about $13 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $416 per resident. Since 1974 it has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (13 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (80 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $169,000 on 15 claims here.

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.

Top risks in Boyle County

$5.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 years.
  • Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
  • Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.

Tornado

Moderate
$3.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 9 years.
  • Pick a shelter spot: a basement, or an inside room on the lowest floor with no windows.
  • Turn on emergency alerts on your phone and keep a weather radio.

Strong wind

Moderate
$1.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 7 times a year.
  • Secure outdoor furniture and trash bins before storms.
  • Have trees near the house checked.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow43.2
$5M
TornadoModerate76.4
$3M
Strong windModerate81.2
$1M
Cold waveLow49.8
$925K
EarthquakeLow69.4
$739K
HailLow68.9
$518K
LightningLow51.3
$239K
Heat waveVery Low34.1
$166K
Ice stormModerate64.2
$158K
Winter weatherModerate65.0
$105K
HurricaneVery Low31.0
$15K
DroughtVery Low19.7
$4K
WildfireVery Low9.5
$3K
LandslideVery Low23.4
$162

Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is relatively moderate and community resilience is relatively high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Boyle County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm9
Snowstorm4
Severe Ice Storm3
Tornado1
Hurricane1
Winter Storm1

Most recent

Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Apr 3, 2025Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingEmergency
Feb 16, 2025Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, and LandslidesEmergency
Apr 10, 2023Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Mar 31, 2021Severe Winter Storms, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Apr 30, 2015Severe Winter Storms, Snowstorms, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disaster
May 11, 2010Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Feb 5, 2009Severe Winter Storm and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 28, 2009Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 10, 2005Hurricane KatrinaEmergency
Show all 19
Jun 10, 2004Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Jun 3, 2003Severe Storms, Flooding, Mud and Rock Slides, and TornadoesMajor disaster
May 7, 2002Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 3, 1998Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Mar 4, 1997Severe Storm, Flooding, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Jan 13, 1996Blizzard of 96Major disaster
Mar 16, 1994Severe Weather, Freezing Rain, Sleet, SnwMajor disaster
Mar 16, 1993Severe Snowfall & Winter StormEmergency
Apr 4, 1974TornadoesMajor disaster

Kentucky also had 4 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1957

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 177 storm reports in Boyle County since 1957, with 1 death and 45 injuries and about $2.3 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on April 3, 1974.

12tornadoes
39hail reports, largest 3 inches
101damaging thunderstorm winds
23floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 3, 1974F3–33 / 1
Apr 3, 1974F2–10 / 0
Dec 11, 2021EF2Shelby City0 / 0
May 6, 1971F1–0 / 0
Apr 21, 1976F1–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jul 19, 1996Flash FloodCountywide$900K
May 6, 1971Tornado–$250K
Apr 3, 1974Tornado–$250K
Apr 21, 1976Tornado–$250K
Apr 3, 2018TornadoWest Needmore$250K
Apr 25, 2015HailWells Lndg$80K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 15, 2025. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.

Hurricanes and tropical storms

Hurricane risk by county ›

Since 1888, 0 hurricanes and 3 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Boyle County, 2 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1888, with top winds near 55 mph about 59 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
3tropical storms
1979most recent: Frederic

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 21, 1888UnnamedTropical storm, 55 mph59 mi
Jun 28, 1957AudreyTropical storm, 45 mph29 mi
Sep 14, 1979FredericTropical storm, 40 mph63 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 14, 1979FredericTropical storm, 40 mph63 mi
Jun 28, 1957AudreyTropical storm, 45 mph29 mi
Aug 21, 1888UnnamedTropical storm, 55 mph59 mi

Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center best-track records (HURDAT2), 1851 to 2025 for the Atlantic and 1949 to 2025 for the eastern Pacific. A storm counts if its track passed within 65 miles of the county's center while it was a tropical storm or hurricane. Strength is the storm's top sustained wind at that point, not the wind measured in the county. Older storms over the open sea were sometimes missed.

Flood insurance in Boyle County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.8%of homes have federal flood insurance (80 policies)
40%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$168,645paid on 15 flood claims since 1978
2018costliest year, with $54,847 paid

National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.

Homes in Boyle County

$209,900median home value (Kentucky $205,600, US $332,700)
1978median year homes were built (Kentucky 1982, US 1980)
55%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
4.6%of homes are mobile homes, which are the least safe in tornadoes and high winds

Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 13,010 housing units.

Compare in Kentucky

All 120 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Jefferson CountyHighInland flooding
Fayette CountyModerateInland flooding
Kenton CountyLowInland flooding
Boone CountyLowInland flooding
Warren CountyModerateInland flooding
Hardin CountyLowInland flooding
Daviess CountyModerateInland flooding
Campbell CountyLowInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Lincoln CountyVery Low26
Mercer CountyVery Low24
Marion CountyVery Low21
Garrard CountyVery Low18
Casey CountyVery Low32
Washington CountyVery Low27

Common questions about Boyle County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Boyle County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Boyle County, about $5.3 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $3.2 million.

How many federal disasters has Boyle County had?

Boyle County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1974, including 13 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.

Is Boyle County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 53rd highest of 120 in Kentucky. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.

Do I need flood insurance in Boyle County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 125 homes in Boyle County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.

How many tornadoes has Boyle County had?

NOAA records list 12 tornadoes in Boyle County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on April 3, 1974. The weather service has also logged 39 hail reports and 23 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Boyle County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 3 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Boyle County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1888, with winds near 55 mph.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.