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Mason County, Kentucky

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

Very Low overall risk
65th of 120highest risk in Kentucky
$10Mexpected losses a year
21federal declarations
1 in 1000homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Mason County, Kentucky has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 61% of US counties. It ranks 65th of 120 counties in Kentucky. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and strong wind. FEMA estimates about $9.7 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $569 per resident. Since 1968 it has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (15 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 13 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $178,000 on 16 claims here.

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

Top risks in Mason County

$6.4 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 2 times 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.
$1.3 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
$850,251 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 4 times a year.
  • Secure outdoor furniture and trash bins before storms.
  • Have trees near the house checked.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow56.2
$6M
TornadoLow57.9
$1M
Strong windModerate73.0
$850K
Heat waveLow50.4
$305K
EarthquakeVery Low54.1
$271K
Cold waveVery Low20.5
$188K
LightningLow46.7
$166K
HailLow38.1
$133K
Winter weatherLow45.7
$45K
Ice stormLow39.4
$41K
HurricaneVery Low35.4
$17K
DroughtVery Low26.2
$12K
WildfireVery Low6.6
$2K
LandslideVery Low39.9
$522

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 high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Severe Storm12
Snowstorm2
Severe Ice Storm2
Flood2
Tornado1
Hurricane1

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
May 22, 2024Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Apr 23, 2021Severe, Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disaster
May 12, 2015Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disaster
May 4, 2011Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 23, 2010Severe Storms, Flooding, and MudslidesMajor disaster
May 11, 2010Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Feb 5, 2009Severe Winter Storm and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 21
Jan 28, 2009Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 10, 2005Hurricane KatrinaEmergency
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
Aug 15, 2001Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 28, 2000Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 4, 1997Severe Storm, Flooding, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Jan 13, 1996Blizzard of 96Major disaster
Mar 16, 1993Severe Snowfall & Winter StormEmergency
May 4, 1968Tornadoes & Severe StormsMajor disaster

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 246 storm reports in Mason County since 1961, with 1 death and 7 injuries and about $8.6 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on May 10, 2003 near Maysville.

11tornadoes
33hail reports, largest 2.5 inches
133damaging thunderstorm winds
68floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 10, 2003F3Maysville0 / 0
May 7, 1967F3–0 / 0
Jun 9, 1981F2–7 / 0
Jun 18, 2026EF2Washington0 / 0
Apr 2, 2024EF1Minerva0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jun 9, 1981Tornado–$3M
Feb 18, 2000Flash FloodCountywide$1M
Jul 22, 2017Flash FloodMaysville$750K
Jul 25, 1994Thunderstorm Wind–$501K
Mar 1, 1997Flash FloodCountywide$500K
Nov 17, 1993Thunderstorm Wind–$500K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 18, 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 2 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Mason County, 1 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1888, with top winds near 50 mph about 40 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
2tropical storms
1979most recent: Frederic

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 21, 1888UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph40 mi
Sep 14, 1979FredericTropical storm, 40 mph59 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 14, 1979FredericTropical storm, 40 mph59 mi
Aug 21, 1888UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph40 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 Mason County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.1%of homes have federal flood insurance (13 policies)
5.3%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$178,369paid on 16 flood claims since 1978
2017costliest year, with $61,392 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 Mason County

$161,500median home value (Kentucky $205,600, US $332,700)
1977median year homes were built (Kentucky 1982, US 1980)
54%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
8.5%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; 8,190 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
Brown County, OHLow17
Adams County, OHLow17
Fleming CountyVery Low24
Lewis CountyVery Low32
Bracken CountyVery Low16
Robertson CountyVery Low22

Common questions about Mason County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Mason County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Mason County, about $6.4 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $1.3 million.

How many federal disasters has Mason County had?

Mason County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1968, including 15 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.

Is Mason County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 65th 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 Mason County?

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

NOAA records list 11 tornadoes in Mason County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on May 10, 2003 near Maysville. The weather service has also logged 33 hail reports and 68 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Mason County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 2 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Mason County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1888, with winds near 50 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.