Hickman County, Kentucky
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Hickman County, Kentucky has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 64% of US counties. It ranks 71st of 120 counties in Kentucky. The costliest hazards here are earthquakes, drought and inland flooding. FEMA estimates about $8.2 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $1,822 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (20 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 3 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $6,152 on 13 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Hickman County
- Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
- Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
- Check local water restrictions.
- Choose drought-tolerant plants.
- 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.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earthquake | 90.9 | $4M | ||
| Drought | 83.8 | $845K | ||
| Inland flooding | 8.6 | $837K | ||
| Tornado | 41.4 | $659K | ||
| Ice storm | 86.5 | $488K | ||
| Strong wind | 50.0 | $397K | ||
| Cold wave | 34.2 | $368K | ||
| Heat wave | 40.5 | $170K | ||
| Lightning | 20.4 | $50K | ||
| Hail | 17.0 | $42K | ||
| Winter weather | 36.2 | $28K | ||
| Hurricane | 38.0 | $19K | ||
| Wildfire | 2.8 | $730 | ||
| Landslide | 40.3 | $486 |
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 very high 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 Hickman County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 26
Kentucky also had 4 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1961
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 201 storm reports in Hickman County since 1961, with 4 deaths and 6 injuries and about $3.2 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF3 tornado on December 10, 2021 near Croley.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 10, 2021 | EF3 | Croley | 5 / 0 |
| May 2, 2010 | EF2 | Croley | 0 / 0 |
| May 7, 1961 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 18, 1981 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 26, 2017 | EF1 | Croley | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 26, 2017 | Tornado | Croley | $425K |
| May 4, 2021 | Tornado | Oakton | $350K |
| Sep 22, 2006 | Flash Flood | Countywide | $300K |
| May 2, 2010 | Tornado | Croley | $300K |
| Jul 19, 2023 | Flash Flood | Beulah | $250K |
| Feb 16, 2025 | Flood | South Columbus | $150K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Sep 24, 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 1 tropical storm have passed within 65 miles of the center of Hickman County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1888, with top winds near 60 mph about 56 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 21, 1888 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 56 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 21, 1888 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 56 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 Hickman County
Check your address flood zone ›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 Hickman County
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; 2,156 housing units.
Compare in Kentucky
All 120 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County | Inland flooding | |
| Fayette County | Inland flooding | |
| Kenton County | Inland flooding | |
| Boone County | Inland flooding | |
| Warren County | Inland flooding | |
| Hardin County | Inland flooding | |
| Daviess County | Inland flooding | |
| Campbell County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Graves County | 20 | |
| Weakley County, TN | 19 | |
| Obion County, TN | 20 | |
| Mississippi County, MO | 23 | |
| Fulton County | 24 | |
| Carlisle County | 25 |
Common questions about Hickman County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Hickman County?
Earthquake has the highest expected yearly losses in Hickman County, about $4.3 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Drought is second at $844,853.
How many federal disasters has Hickman County had?
Hickman County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 20 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.
Is Hickman County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 71st 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 Hickman County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Hickman 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 Hickman County had?
NOAA records list 14 tornadoes in Hickman County since 1950. The strongest was an EF3 tornado on December 10, 2021 near Croley. The weather service has also logged 30 hail reports and 68 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Hickman County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 1 tropical storm passing within 65 miles of the center of Hickman County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1888, with winds near 60 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.