Stewart County, Tennessee
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Stewart County, Tennessee has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 71% of US counties. It ranks 73rd of 95 counties in Tennessee. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, earthquakes and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $6.8 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $499 per resident. Since 1975 it has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (16 major disasters). The most recent was in February 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 29 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $562,000 on 17 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Stewart 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.
- Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
- Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
- 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.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 22.8 | $2M | ||
| Earthquake | 82.6 | $2M | ||
| Tornado | 65.0 | $1M | ||
| Cold wave | 45.2 | $562K | ||
| Lightning | 81.2 | $541K | ||
| Strong wind | 43.1 | $320K | ||
| Heat wave | 39.2 | $158K | ||
| Ice storm | 69.3 | $150K | ||
| Winter weather | 50.7 | $46K | ||
| Hail | 18.3 | $46K | ||
| Drought | 34.8 | $28K | ||
| Hurricane | 19.0 | $4K | ||
| Landslide | 66.3 | $3K | ||
| Wildfire | 7.6 | $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 relatively 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 Stewart County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 21
Tennessee also had 1 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1966
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 300 storm reports in Stewart County since 1966, with 3 deaths and 9 injuries and about $18.4 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF2 tornado on December 10, 2021 near Henry.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 10, 2021 | EF2 | Henry | 4 / 0 |
| May 23, 2011 | EF2 | Bumpus Mills | 2 / 0 |
| Jan 23, 1969 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 9, 2023 | EF1 | Bear Spg | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 18, 2007 | EF1 | Model | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 27, 2013 | Flash Flood | Tobaccoport | $10M |
| Jul 7, 2016 | Flash Flood | Big Rock | $4M |
| Dec 10, 2021 | Tornado | Henry | $2M |
| Dec 9, 2023 | Tornado | Bear Spg | $500K |
| May 23, 2011 | Tornado | Bumpus Mills | $262K |
| Jan 23, 1969 | Tornado | – | $250K |
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 2 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Stewart County, 1 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1888, with top winds near 60 mph about 56 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 21, 1888 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 56 mi |
| Jun 28, 1957 | Audrey | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 61 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 28, 1957 | Audrey | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 61 mi |
| Aug 21, 1888 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 56 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 Stewart 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 Stewart 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; 6,718 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Montgomery County | 20 | |
| Christian County, KY | 23 | |
| Calloway County, KY | 18 | |
| Henry County | 19 | |
| Benton County | 20 | |
| Trigg County, KY | 24 | |
| Houston County | 26 |
Common questions about Stewart County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Stewart County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Stewart County, about $1.9 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Earthquake is second at $1.5 million.
How many federal disasters has Stewart County had?
Stewart County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1975, including 16 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in February 2026.
Is Stewart County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 73rd 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 Stewart County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 250 homes in Stewart 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 Stewart County had?
NOAA records list 14 tornadoes in Stewart County since 1950. The strongest was an EF2 tornado on December 10, 2021 near Henry. The weather service has also logged 53 hail reports and 50 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Stewart County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 2 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Stewart 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.