Cheatham County, TN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Cheatham County has experienced 25 federally declared disasters since 1975, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Cheatham County's highest-rated hazards are earthquake, tornado, and ice storm, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 79% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (20th percentile nationally), indicating stronger recovery capacity than most US counties.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Cheatham County has been designated in 25 declarations since 1975, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (12), tornado (4), flood (3).
| 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 |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Tornadoes |
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornado |
| 2022 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2022 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2021 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 25 total declarations since 1975.
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 | 14.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 54.5 | 26 | 2 | $512K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 79.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 45.9 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 67 | 3 | 0 | $2.2M |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 17.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 50.4 | 17 | 0 | $50K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 44 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 17.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 66 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 65 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 45.3 | 2 | 0 | $500K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 32.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 59.6 | 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
Cheatham County ranks in the 20th percentile (Very low) 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 | 20th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 27th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 27th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 28th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 19th | Very low |
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 | 29th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 27th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 92.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 53 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 19 in 2016–20 vs 34 in 2021–25 (+79% — frequency increasing).
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 Cheatham County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Cheatham County, Tennessee are earthquake, tornado, and ice storm. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Cheatham County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Cheatham County has received 25 federal disaster declarations since 1975, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (12 declarations).
Has Cheatham County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Cheatham County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025), Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024), Severe Storms And Tornadoes (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1975.
How does Cheatham County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Davidson County, TN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Houston County, TN has the lowest (Very Low). Cheatham County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Cheatham County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Cheatham 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. Cheatham County's composite score of 46 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 46% of US counties.