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Perry County, Tennessee

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

Very Low overall risk
71st of 95highest risk in Tennessee
$7Mexpected losses a year
22federal declarations
1 in 71homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Perry County, Tennessee has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 67% of US counties. It ranks 71st of 95 counties in Tennessee. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $6.9 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $831 per resident. Since 1975 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). About 1 in 71 homes here carry federal flood insurance (65 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $2.5 million on 112 claims here, including $1.0 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 Perry County

$3.9 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once 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.
$1.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 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.
$800,650 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow47.1
$4M
TornadoLow60.1
$1M
Cold waveLow57.1
$801K
EarthquakeLow72.5
$609K
Strong windLow34.6
$223K
Heat waveVery Low30.5
$90K
LightningLow31.2
$73K
HurricaneVery Low42.2
$23K
Ice stormVery Low23.1
$13K
DroughtVery Low28.4
$13K
HailVery Low6.4
$12K
Winter weatherVery Low9.3
$5K
LandslideLow66.4
$3K
WildfireVery Low7.8
$2K

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 very low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Severe Storm15
Flood3
Winter Storm3
Hurricane1

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
Mar 8, 2023Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Jul 9, 2020Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Dec 6, 2019Severe Storm and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Apr 17, 2019Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Aug 13, 2014Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, 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
Feb 7, 2008Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor 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
Jan 19, 1999Severe Storms, Tornadoes and High WindsMajor disaster
Feb 28, 1994Severe Winter Ice Storm,Flash FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 21, 1991Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
May 7, 1979Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 22, 1975Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1957

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 226 storm reports in Perry County since 1957, with 7 deaths and 0 injuries and about $7.3 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on May 5, 1999 near Linden.

12tornadoes
38hail reports, largest 3 inches
135damaging thunderstorm winds
38floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 5, 1999F4Linden0 / 3
Dec 23, 2015EF2Sugar Hill0 / 2
Feb 5, 2008EF1Sugar Hill0 / 0
May 2, 2010EF1Beardstown0 / 0
Apr 24, 2010EF1Pine View0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
May 2, 2010FloodLobelville$3M
Oct 26, 2019Thunderstorm WindSpring Creek$1M
Dec 23, 2015TornadoSugar Hill$1M
Feb 5, 2008TornadoSugar Hill$400K
May 3, 2020Thunderstorm WindLinden$314K
May 5, 1999TornadoLinden$295K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 11, 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 5 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Perry County, 3 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+)
5tropical storms
1979most recent: Frederic

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 21, 1888UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph61 mi
Sep 13, 1979FredericTropical storm, 45 mph61 mi
Jun 28, 1957AudreyTropical storm, 40 mph59 mi
Jun 17, 1934UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph55 mi
Aug 31, 1950BakerTropical storm, 35 mph61 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 13, 1979FredericTropical storm, 45 mph61 mi
Jun 28, 1957AudreyTropical storm, 40 mph59 mi
Aug 31, 1950BakerTropical storm, 35 mph61 mi
Jun 17, 1934UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph55 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 Perry County

Check your address flood zone ›
1.4%of homes have federal flood insurance (65 policies)
10.9%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$2.5 millionpaid on 112 flood claims since 1978
2010costliest year, with $1 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 Perry County

$126,900median home value (Tennessee $286,700, US $332,700)
1988median year homes were built (Tennessee 1987, US 1980)
42%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
31.1%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; 4,866 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
Hickman CountyLow23
Humphreys CountyLow24
Wayne CountyLow25
Benton CountyVery Low20
Lewis CountyVery Low22
Decatur CountyVery Low26

Common questions about Perry County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Perry County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Perry County, about $3.9 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $1.1 million.

How many federal disasters has Perry County had?

Perry County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1975, including 19 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in February 2026.

Is Perry County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 71st 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 Perry County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 71 homes in Perry 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 Perry County had?

NOAA records list 12 tornadoes in Perry County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on May 5, 1999 near Linden. The weather service has also logged 38 hail reports and 38 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Perry County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 5 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Perry 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.