Tipton County, Tennessee
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Tipton County, Tennessee has a moderate overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 81% of US counties. It ranks 14th of 95 counties in Tennessee. The costliest hazards here are earthquakes, tornadoes and inland flooding. FEMA estimates about $34 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $562 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (20 major disasters). The most recent was in February 2026 (severe winter storm). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (136 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $5.2 million on 145 claims here, including $2.7 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 Tipton County
- 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.
- 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.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earthquake | 95.8 | $13M | ||
| Tornado | 92.8 | $7M | ||
| Inland flooding | 53.9 | $6M | ||
| Cold wave | 84.0 | $4M | ||
| Heat wave | 90.3 | $2M | ||
| Ice storm | 90.9 | $791K | ||
| Lightning | 78.2 | $517K | ||
| Strong wind | 41.6 | $333K | ||
| Drought | 57.6 | $186K | ||
| Hail | 34.8 | $111K | ||
| Hurricane | 46.5 | $40K | ||
| Winter weather | 24.9 | $18K | ||
| Wildfire | 32.0 | $12K | ||
| Landslide | 70.9 | $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 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 Tipton County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 23
Tennessee also had 1 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1964
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 360 storm reports in Tipton County since 1964, with 10 deaths and 68 injuries and about $119 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on April 3, 1968.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 3, 1968 | F3 | – | 28 / 4 |
| Mar 31, 2023 | EF3 | Munford | 28 / 1 |
| Mar 31, 2023 | EF3 | Dixonville | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 9, 2002 | F2 | Randolph | 1 / 0 |
| Mar 31, 2023 | EF2 | Dixonville | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 31, 2023 | Tornado | Munford | $80M |
| May 1, 2010 | Flash Flood | Detroit | $21M |
| Nov 9, 2002 | Tornado | Randolph | $6M |
| Jun 19, 2025 | Flash Flood | Mason | $5M |
| Apr 3, 1968 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Apr 19, 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Atoka | $2M |
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 4 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Tipton County, 2 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1888, with top winds near 65 mph about 52 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 20, 1888 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 52 mi |
| Sep 28, 1906 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 56 mi |
| Aug 18, 1969 | Camille | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 57 mi |
| Aug 31, 1950 | Baker | Tropical storm, 35 mph | 57 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 18, 1969 | Camille | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 57 mi |
| Aug 31, 1950 | Baker | Tropical storm, 35 mph | 57 mi |
| Sep 28, 1906 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 56 mi |
| Aug 20, 1888 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 52 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 Tipton 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 Tipton 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; 24,417 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Shelby County | 26 | |
| Crittenden County, AR | 19 | |
| Fayette County | 19 | |
| Mississippi County, AR | 19 | |
| Lauderdale County | 22 | |
| Haywood County | 19 |
Common questions about Tipton County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Tipton County?
Earthquake has the highest expected yearly losses in Tipton County, about $13.4 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $7.1 million.
How many federal disasters has Tipton County had?
Tipton County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 20 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in February 2026.
Is Tipton County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Moderate, 14th 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 Tipton County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 167 homes in Tipton 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 Tipton County had?
NOAA records list 28 tornadoes in Tipton County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on April 3, 1968. The weather service has also logged 98 hail reports and 55 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Tipton County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 4 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Tipton County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1888, with winds near 65 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.