Home › Tennessee › Carroll County

Carroll County, Tennessee

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

Relatively Low overall risk
23rd of 95highest risk in Tennessee
$25Mexpected losses a year
22federal declarations
1 in 1000homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, CC0

Carroll County, Tennessee has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 73% of US counties. It ranks 23rd of 95 counties in Tennessee. The costliest hazards here are earthquakes, cold waves and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $25 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $873 per resident. Since 1971 it has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (19 major disasters). The most recent was in February 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 8 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $521,000 on 19 claims here.

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

Top risks in Carroll County

Earthquake

Moderate
$9.8 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 135 years.
  • Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
  • Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.

Cold wave

Moderate
$5 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 2 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.

Tornado

Moderate
$4.6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
EarthquakeModerate94.4
$10M
Cold waveModerate89.0
$5M
TornadoModerate87.1
$5M
Inland floodingVery Low27.2
$2M
Heat waveModerate82.5
$1M
LightningModerate76.6
$496K
Strong windLow49.5
$428K
Ice stormModerate74.2
$218K
DroughtLow55.2
$164K
HurricaneVery Low52.4
$71K
HailVery Low22.7
$65K
Winter weatherLow50.6
$51K
WildfireVery Low20.2
$6K
LandslideLow70.8
$5K

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 low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Severe Storm14
Tornado3
Winter Storm2
Flood1
Hurricane1
Severe Ice Storm1

Most recent

Feb 6, 2026Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Jun 19, 2025Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 2, 2025Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingEmergency
May 17, 2023Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and TornadoMajor disaster
Jul 9, 2020Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 5, 2020Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 13, 2014Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 11, 2014Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
May 9, 2011Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 22
May 1, 2011Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Associated FloodingMajor disaster
May 4, 2010Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Apr 5, 2006Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
May 8, 2003Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Nov 13, 2002Severe Storms and TornadosMajor disaster
Jan 19, 1999Severe Storms, Tornadoes and High WindsMajor disaster
Apr 20, 1998Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 7, 1997Heavy Rains, Tornadoes, Flooding, Hail, High WindsMajor disaster
Feb 28, 1994Severe Winter Ice Storm,Flash FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 22, 1975Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
May 18, 1971TornadoMajor disaster

Tennessee also had 1 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1952

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 334 storm reports in Carroll County since 1952, with 10 deaths and 194 injuries and about $26.3 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on May 7, 1971.

26tornadoes
93hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
166damaging thunderstorm winds
43floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 7, 1971F4–137 / 3
Apr 2, 2006F3Mc Kenzie0 / 0
Mar 21, 1952F3–3 / 0
Mar 21, 1952F3–19 / 0
Nov 9, 2002F2Terry6 / 2

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
May 1, 2010Flash FloodYuma$5M
May 7, 1971Tornado–$3M
Oct 16, 1984Tornado–$3M
Mar 1, 1997TornadoAtwood$2M
May 4, 2003TornadoAtwood$2M
Apr 7, 2006TornadoClarksburg$2M

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 5, 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 4 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Carroll County, 2 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1888, with top winds near 60 mph about 64 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
4tropical storms
1957most recent: Audrey

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 21, 1888UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph64 mi
Jun 28, 1957AudreyTropical storm, 40 mph52 mi
Jun 17, 1934UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph63 mi
Aug 31, 1950BakerTropical storm, 35 mph56 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Jun 28, 1957AudreyTropical storm, 40 mph52 mi
Aug 31, 1950BakerTropical storm, 35 mph56 mi
Jun 17, 1934UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph63 mi
Aug 21, 1888UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph64 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 Carroll County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.1%of homes have federal flood insurance (8 policies)
7.1%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$520,821paid on 19 flood claims since 1978
2010costliest year, with $388,448 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 Carroll County

$142,400median home value (Tennessee $286,700, US $332,700)
1977median year homes were built (Tennessee 1987, US 1980)
55%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
16.5%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; 13,100 housing units.

Compare in Tennessee

All 95 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Shelby CountyHighEarthquake
Davidson CountyHighInland flooding
Knox CountyModerateInland flooding
Hamilton CountyModerateInland flooding
Rutherford CountyModerateInland flooding
Williamson CountyModerateInland flooding
Montgomery CountyModerateInland flooding
Sumner CountyModerateInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Madison CountyModerate22
Gibson CountyModerate26
Weakley CountyLow19
Henry CountyModerate19
Henderson CountyLow25
Benton CountyVery Low20
Decatur CountyVery Low26

Common questions about Carroll County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Carroll County?

Earthquake has the highest expected yearly losses in Carroll County, about $9.8 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $5 million.

How many federal disasters has Carroll County had?

Carroll County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1971, including 19 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in February 2026.

Is Carroll County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 23rd highest of 95 in Tennessee. 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 Carroll County?

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

NOAA records list 26 tornadoes in Carroll County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on May 7, 1971. The weather service has also logged 93 hail reports and 43 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Carroll County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 4 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Carroll 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.