McNairy County, TN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
McNairy County has experienced 21 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.
McNairy County's highest-rated hazards are earthquake, cold wave, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 328% 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. McNairy County has been designated in 21 declarations since 1975, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (11), winter storm (2), tornado (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 |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2021 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Showing the 10 most recent of 21 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 | 26.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 33.3 | 5 | 0 | $2.0M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 90.3 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 67 | 72 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 60.3 | 4 | 14 | $31.5M |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 57.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 17.6 | 14 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 63.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 17 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 27.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 78 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 47.5 | 1 | 0 | $50K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 41.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 74 | 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
McNairy County ranks in the 34th 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 | 34th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 71st | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 20th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 32nd | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 11th | 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 | 55th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 51st | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 92.2% | — |
NOAA tracked 95 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 18 in 2016–20 vs 77 in 2021–25 (+328% — 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 McNairy County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in McNairy County, Tennessee are earthquake, cold wave, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has McNairy County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. McNairy County has received 21 federal disaster declarations since 1975, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (11 declarations).
Has McNairy County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for McNairy 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). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1975.
How does McNairy County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Madison County, TN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Chester County, TN has the lowest (Relatively Low). McNairy County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is McNairy County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
McNairy 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. McNairy County's composite score of 51 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 51% of US counties.