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Grayson County, Kentucky

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

Relatively Low overall risk
50th of 120highest risk in Kentucky
$11Mexpected losses a year
28federal declarations
1 in 1000homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Grayson County, Kentucky has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 55% of US counties. It ranks 50th of 120 counties in Kentucky. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and hail. FEMA estimates about $11 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $434 per resident. Since 1974 it has been included in 28 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (22 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2026 (severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides and mudslides). Only 14 homes here carry federal flood insurance.

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

Top risks in Grayson County

$5 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • 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
$2.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 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.

Hail

Moderate
$1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 3 times a year.
  • Ask about the roof age and any impact-rated shingles.
  • Check your home policy for a separate wind and hail deductible.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow48.3
$5M
TornadoModerate70.8
$2M
HailModerate86.3
$1M
Strong windModerate79.1
$1M
Cold waveLow49.3
$736K
EarthquakeLow70.3
$644K
Heat waveLow54.4
$368K
Ice stormModerate79.9
$323K
LightningLow46.4
$165K
Winter weatherLow47.2
$47K
DroughtVery Low29.0
$17K
HurricaneVery Low35.1
$17K
WildfireVery Low11.7
$3K
LandslideVery Low47.9
$954

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 high and community resilience is relatively moderate in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Severe Storm17
Tornado3
Snowstorm3
Severe Ice Storm2
Flood1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Sep 1, 2026Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Apr 24, 2025Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Apr 3, 2025Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingEmergency
Feb 16, 2025Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, and LandslidesEmergency
Jul 23, 2024Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Apr 10, 2023Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Dec 12, 2021Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Dec 11, 2021Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, and TornadoesEmergency
Mar 6, 2012Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 28
May 4, 2011Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
May 11, 2010Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and TornadoesMajor disaster
May 29, 2009Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding and MudslidesMajor disaster
Feb 5, 2009Severe Winter Storm and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 28, 2009Severe Winter StormEmergency
Feb 21, 2008Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, AndMajor disaster
Sep 10, 2005Hurricane KatrinaEmergency
Feb 8, 2005Severe Winter Storm and Record SnowMajor disaster
Aug 6, 2004Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 10, 2004Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Jun 3, 2003Severe Storms, Flooding, Mud and Rock Slides, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Mar 14, 2003Severe Winter Ice and Snow Storms, Heavy Rain, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Mud AndMajor disaster
May 7, 2002Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 4, 1997Severe Storm, Flooding, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Jan 13, 1996Blizzard of 96Major disaster
Mar 16, 1994Severe Weather, Freezing Rain, Sleet, SnwMajor disaster
Feb 24, 1989Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 4, 1974TornadoesMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1958

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 319 storm reports in Grayson County since 1958, with 3 deaths and 27 injuries and about $56.7 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on April 3, 1974.

21tornadoes
84hail reports, largest 3 inches
158damaging thunderstorm winds
49floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 3, 1974F4–2 / 0
Jan 21, 1959F3–0 / 3
May 23, 2000F3Leitchfield16 / 0
May 7, 1961F3–0 / 0
Apr 21, 1972F3–4 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
May 23, 2000TornadoLeitchfield$50M
May 7, 1961Tornado–$3M
Mar 29, 1989Tornado–$3M
Apr 3, 2018TornadoLilac$300K
Jan 21, 1959Tornado–$250K
Apr 21, 1972Tornado–$250K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 21, 2026. 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 1 tropical storm have passed within 65 miles of the center of Grayson County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1888, with top winds near 55 mph about 43 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
1tropical storms
1888most recent: unnamed storm

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 21, 1888UnnamedTropical storm, 55 mph43 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 21, 1888UnnamedTropical storm, 55 mph43 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 Grayson County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.1%of homes have federal flood insurance (14 policies)
13.9%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$155,835paid on 6 flood claims since 1978
2025costliest year, with $155,835 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 Grayson County

$164,600median home value (Kentucky $205,600, US $332,700)
1988median year homes were built (Kentucky 1982, US 1980)
40%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
16.4%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; 13,369 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
Hardin CountyLow25
Ohio CountyLow28
Breckinridge CountyVery Low26
Hart CountyVery Low25
Butler CountyVery Low28
Edmonson CountyVery Low24

Common questions about Grayson County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Grayson County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Grayson County, about $5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $2.1 million.

How many federal disasters has Grayson County had?

Grayson County has been included in 28 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1974, including 22 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides in September 2026.

Is Grayson County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 50th 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 Grayson County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Grayson 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 Grayson County had?

NOAA records list 21 tornadoes in Grayson County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on April 3, 1974. The weather service has also logged 84 hail reports and 49 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Grayson County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 1 tropical storm passing within 65 miles of the center of Grayson 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.