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Dickson County, Tennessee

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

Relatively Low overall risk
51st of 95highest risk in Tennessee
$19Mexpected losses a year
25federal declarations
1 in 333homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Dickson County, Tennessee has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 54% of US counties. It ranks 51st of 95 counties in Tennessee. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, earthquakes and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $19 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $347 per resident. Since 1974 it has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (21 major disasters). The most recent was in February 2026 (severe winter storm). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (55 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $4.0 million on 71 claims here.

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

Top risks in Dickson County

$6 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.
$4.9 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 245 years.
  • Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
  • Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.

Tornado

Moderate
$3.4 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 floodingLow44.6
$6M
EarthquakeLow89.1
$5M
TornadoModerate75.4
$3M
Cold waveModerate73.8
$3M
Strong windLow51.0
$608K
Heat waveLow56.6
$539K
LightningLow54.5
$294K
Ice stormModerate74.1
$293K
DroughtVery Low30.8
$29K
HailVery Low8.1
$25K
Winter weatherVery Low22.8
$22K
WildfireVery Low20.5
$8K
HurricaneVery Low22.8
$8K
LandslideVery Low61.4
$3K

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 low 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 Dickson County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm14
Tornado4
Flood3
Winter Storm2
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
Jan 14, 2022Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Dec 13, 2021Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and TornadoesEmergency
Aug 23, 2021Severe Storm and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 9, 2020Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 25
Apr 17, 2019Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Apr 11, 2014Severe Winter StormMajor 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
Apr 5, 2002Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
May 12, 1999Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor 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
Jun 21, 1991Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 4, 1974TornadoesMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1961

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 487 storm reports in Dickson County since 1961, with 1 death and 12 injuries and about $20.3 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on April 7, 2006 near Charlotte.

23tornadoes
107hail reports, largest 3 inches
277damaging thunderstorm winds
67floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 7, 2006F3Charlotte0 / 0
Apr 16, 1998F3Tidwell5 / 0
Dec 11, 2021EF2Oak Grove2 / 0
Dec 9, 2023EF2Woods Vly2 / 0
Dec 9, 2023EF2Claylick2 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 7, 2006TornadoCharlotte$5M
Dec 11, 2021TornadoOak Grove$2M
Dec 9, 2023TornadoWoods Vly$2M
Dec 9, 2023TornadoClaylick$2M
May 2, 2010FloodSlayden$1M
Feb 6, 2019Flash FloodOak Grove$1M

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 Dickson County, 2 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1888, with top winds near 60 mph about 46 miles away.

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

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 21, 1888UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph46 mi
Sep 14, 1979FredericTropical storm, 45 mph62 mi
Jun 28, 1957AudreyTropical storm, 40 mph39 mi
Jun 18, 1934UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph52 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 14, 1979FredericTropical storm, 45 mph62 mi
Jun 28, 1957AudreyTropical storm, 40 mph39 mi
Jun 18, 1934UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph52 mi
Aug 21, 1888UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph46 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 Dickson County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.3%of homes have federal flood insurance (55 policies)
15.3%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$4 millionpaid on 71 flood claims since 1978
2010costliest year, with $747,383 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 Dickson County

$306,400median home value (Tennessee $286,700, US $332,700)
1988median year homes were built (Tennessee 1987, US 1980)
37%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
11.4%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; 23,657 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
Williamson CountyModerate14
Montgomery CountyModerate20
Cheatham CountyLow23
Hickman CountyLow23
Humphreys CountyLow24
Houston CountyVery Low26

Common questions about Dickson County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Dickson County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Dickson County, about $6 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Earthquake is second at $4.9 million.

How many federal disasters has Dickson County had?

Dickson County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1974, including 21 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in February 2026.

Is Dickson County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 51st 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 Dickson County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 333 homes in Dickson 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 Dickson County had?

NOAA records list 23 tornadoes in Dickson County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on April 7, 2006 near Charlotte. The weather service has also logged 107 hail reports and 67 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Dickson County?

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