Knox County, TN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Knox County has experienced 19 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Knox County's highest-rated hazards are lightning, earthquake, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 139% 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. Knox County has been designated in 19 declarations since 1973, covering 8 disaster types including severe storm (8), winter storm (3), 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 |
| 2023 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornado |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2017 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2015 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 19 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 | 63 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 92.8 | 62 | 1 | $32.5M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 96.8 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 72.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 96.7 | 1 | 0 | $3.7M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 65.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 59.7 | 42 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 89.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 95.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 92.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 92.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very High | 98.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 39.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 96.5 | 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
Knox County ranks in the 37th percentile (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 | 37th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 38th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 19th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 51st | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 52nd | 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 | 70th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 64th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 44.2% | — |
NOAA tracked 105 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 31 in 2016–20 vs 74 in 2021–25 (+139% — 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 Knox County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Knox County, Tennessee are lightning, earthquake, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Knox County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Knox County has received 19 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (8 declarations).
Has Knox County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Knox 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 Knox County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Sevier County, TN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Union County, TN has the lowest (Very Low). Knox County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Knox County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Knox 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. Knox County's composite score of 92 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 92% of US counties.