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Davidson County, Tennessee

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

Relatively High overall risk
2nd of 95highest risk in Tennessee
$262Mexpected losses a year
25federal declarations
1 in 59homes with flood insurance
Photo: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0

Davidson County, Tennessee has a relatively high overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 97% of US counties. It ranks 2nd of 95 counties in Tennessee. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, earthquakes and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $262 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $367 per resident. Since 1974 it has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (22 major disasters). The most recent was in February 2026 (severe winter storm). About 1 in 59 homes here carry federal flood insurance (3,818 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $186 million on 4,787 claims here, including $136 million for floods in 2010.

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

Top risks in Davidson County

$160 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 4 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.
$57.9 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 320 years.
  • Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
  • Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
$23.6 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
Inland floodingHigh98.2
$160M
EarthquakeHigh98.2
$58M
TornadoHigh97.9
$24M
Cold waveHigh90.6
$8M
Heat waveModerate95.4
$6M
Strong windHigh97.1
$4M
HailModerate87.8
$1M
Ice stormModerate80.4
$417K
LightningLow54.5
$271K
Winter weatherModerate82.4
$233K
HurricaneVery Low53.7
$107K
WildfireVery Low57.5
$72K
DroughtVery Low26.6
$16K
LandslideLow69.3
$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 moderate 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 Davidson County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm14
Tornado5
Winter Storm3
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
Dec 13, 2023Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
May 17, 2023Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and TornadoMajor disaster
Mar 8, 2023Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Jan 14, 2022Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and TornadoesMajor disaster
May 8, 2021Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 9, 2020Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 25
Mar 5, 2020Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 2, 2015Severe Winter Storm and FloodingMajor disaster
May 9, 2011Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line WindsMajor 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
Jun 12, 2000Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
May 12, 1999Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor 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
May 7, 1979Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 22, 1975Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 4, 1974TornadoesMajor 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 1,538 storm reports in Davidson County since 1952, with 25 deaths and 329 injuries and about $2.9 billion in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF3 tornado on March 3, 2020 near Scottsboro.

53tornadoes
275hail reports, largest 4.5 inches
972damaging thunderstorm winds
173floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Mar 3, 2020EF3Scottsboro170 / 2
Apr 16, 1998F3Nashville60 / 1
Apr 7, 2006F3Goodlettsville7 / 0
Dec 9, 2023EF2Madison21 / 3
Apr 1, 1974F2–12 / 1

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
May 1, 2010FloodRural Hill$1.5B
Mar 3, 2020TornadoScottsboro$1.1B
Apr 16, 1998TornadoNashville$100M
Aug 8, 2013Flash FloodScottsboro$50M
May 1, 2010Flash FloodWalnut Grove$25M
Mar 2, 2012HailBerry Hill$25M

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 4 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Davidson County, 2 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1888, with top winds near 60 mph about 61 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
4tropical storms
1979most recent: Frederic

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 21, 1888UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph61 mi
Sep 14, 1979FredericTropical storm, 45 mph48 mi
Sep 13, 1892UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph64 mi
Jun 28, 1957AudreyTropical storm, 40 mph58 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 14, 1979FredericTropical storm, 45 mph48 mi
Jun 28, 1957AudreyTropical storm, 40 mph58 mi
Sep 13, 1892UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph64 mi
Aug 21, 1888UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph61 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 Davidson County

Check your address flood zone ›
1.7%of homes have federal flood insurance (3,818 policies)
56.8%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$186 millionpaid on 4,787 flood claims since 1978
2010costliest year, with $136 million 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 Davidson County

$417,400median home value (Tennessee $286,700, US $332,700)
1986median year homes were built (Tennessee 1987, US 1980)
41%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
1.4%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; 357,113 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
Rutherford CountyModerate15
Williamson CountyModerate14
Sumner CountyModerate20
Wilson CountyLow15
Robertson CountyLow12
Cheatham CountyLow23

Cities in Davidson County

Common questions about Davidson County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Davidson County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Davidson County, about $160 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Earthquake is second at $57.9 million.

How many federal disasters has Davidson County had?

Davidson County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1974, including 22 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in February 2026.

Is Davidson County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively High, 2nd 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 Davidson County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 59 homes in Davidson 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 Davidson County had?

NOAA records list 53 tornadoes in Davidson County since 1950. The strongest was an EF3 tornado on March 3, 2020 near Scottsboro. The weather service has also logged 275 hail reports and 173 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Davidson County?

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