Hamblen County, TN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Hamblen County has experienced 15 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.
Hamblen County's highest-rated hazards are earthquake, landslide, and lightning, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is elevated (86th percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Hamblen County has been designated in 15 declarations since 1973, covering 9 disaster types including flood (3), winter storm (2), tropical storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Helene |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Helene |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2015 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Showing the 10 most recent of 15 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 | 40.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 54.6 | 13 | 0 | $12.2M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 85.9 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 23 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 61.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 39.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 30 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 49 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 48.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 57.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 40.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 78.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 31.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 83.5 | 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
Hamblen County ranks in the 86th percentile (High) 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 | 86th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 89th | High |
| Household characteristics | 97th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 52nd | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 51st | 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 | 66th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 59th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 68.4% | — |
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 Hamblen County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Hamblen County, Tennessee are earthquake, landslide, and lightning. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Hamblen County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Hamblen County has received 15 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is flood (3 declarations).
Has Hamblen County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Hamblen County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Winter Storm (2026), Tropical Storm Helene (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025), Tropical Storm Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does Hamblen County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Greene County, TN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Hancock County, TN has the lowest (Very Low). Hamblen County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Hamblen County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Hamblen 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. Hamblen County's composite score of 47 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 47% of US counties.