Hardin County, Tennessee
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Hardin County, Tennessee has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 71% of US counties. It ranks 26th of 95 counties in Tennessee. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and earthquakes. FEMA estimates about $20 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $732 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (23 major disasters). The most recent was in February 2026 (severe winter storm). About 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (152 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $3.9 million on 209 claims here, including $2.1 million for floods in 2019.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Hardin County
- 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.
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
- Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
- Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 54.4 | $5M | ||
| Cold wave | 90.4 | $5M | ||
| Earthquake | 90.3 | $4M | ||
| Tornado | 76.0 | $2M | ||
| Strong wind | 94.3 | $2M | ||
| Landslide | 98.6 | $685K | ||
| Heat wave | 71.2 | $646K | ||
| Lightning | 58.0 | $208K | ||
| Hurricane | 58.9 | $124K | ||
| Drought | 49.6 | $95K | ||
| Ice storm | 37.4 | $31K | ||
| Hail | 7.6 | $15K | ||
| Winter weather | 22.7 | $14K | ||
| Wildfire | 28.9 | $9K |
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 moderate in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Hardin County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 26
Tennessee also had 1 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1954
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 257 storm reports in Hardin County since 1954, with 4 deaths and 40 injuries and about $35.6 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF4 tornado on February 5, 2008 near Box Elder.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 5, 2008 | EF4 | Box Elder | 5 / 3 |
| Apr 19, 1970 | F4 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 31, 2023 | EF3 | Box Elder | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 4, 1964 | F3 | – | 3 / 0 |
| Feb 26, 1958 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 5, 2008 | Tornado | Box Elder | $18M |
| Mar 31, 2023 | Tornado | Box Elder | $4M |
| Oct 26, 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Damon | $3M |
| Mar 4, 1964 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| May 2, 2010 | Flash Flood | Swift | $2M |
| Apr 27, 2011 | Tornado | Counce | $2M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 22, 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 1860, 0 hurricanes and 8 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Hardin County, 4 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1888, with top winds near 60 mph about 53 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 21, 1888 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 53 mi |
| Sep 13, 1979 | Frederic | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 63 mi |
| Oct 19, 1916 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 43 mi |
| Oct 3, 1860 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 62 mi |
| Aug 30, 2005 | Katrina | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 62 mi |
| Aug 31, 1950 | Baker | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 63 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 30, 2005 | Katrina | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 62 mi |
| Sep 13, 1979 | Frederic | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 63 mi |
| Jun 28, 1957 | Audrey | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 58 mi |
| Aug 31, 1950 | Baker | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 63 mi |
| Jun 17, 1934 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 50 mi |
| Oct 19, 1916 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 43 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 Hardin 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 Hardin 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; 15,161 housing units.
Compare in Tennessee
All 95 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Shelby County | Earthquake | |
| Davidson County | Inland flooding | |
| Knox County | Inland flooding | |
| Hamilton County | Inland flooding | |
| Rutherford County | Inland flooding | |
| Williamson County | Inland flooding | |
| Montgomery County | Inland flooding | |
| Sumner County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Lauderdale County, AL | 18 | |
| Alcorn County, MS | 16 | |
| Henderson County | 25 | |
| McNairy County | 19 | |
| Tishomingo County, MS | 17 | |
| Chester County | 14 | |
| Wayne County | 25 | |
| Decatur County | 26 |
Common questions about Hardin County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Hardin County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Hardin County, about $5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $5 million.
How many federal disasters has Hardin County had?
Hardin County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 23 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in February 2026.
Is Hardin County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 26th 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 Hardin County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 100 homes in Hardin 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 Hardin County had?
NOAA records list 21 tornadoes in Hardin County since 1950. The strongest was an EF4 tornado on February 5, 2008 near Box Elder. The weather service has also logged 82 hail reports and 34 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Hardin County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 8 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Hardin 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.