Bradley County, TN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Bradley County has experienced 18 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Bradley County's highest-rated hazards are earthquake, tornado, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 60% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Bradley County has been designated in 18 declarations since 1973, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (9), winter storm (2), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2012 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds And |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Associated Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 18 total declarations since 1973.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Very Low | 47.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 69.1 | 6 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 91.9 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 46.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 88.4 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 55.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 67.6 | 11 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 64.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 68.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 62.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 75.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 80.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 52.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 82.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Bradley County ranks in the 67th percentile (Moderate) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 67th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 69th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 71st | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 46th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 56th | Moderate |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 67th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 61st | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 66.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 21 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 15 in 2016–20 vs 6 in 2021–25 (-60% — frequency decreasing).
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Bradley County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Bradley County, Tennessee are earthquake, tornado, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Bradley County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Bradley County has received 18 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (9 declarations).
Has Bradley County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Bradley County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does Bradley County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Hamilton County, TN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Meigs County, TN has the lowest (Very Low). Bradley County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Bradley County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Bradley County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Bradley County's composite score of 73 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 73% of US counties.