Overton County, TN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Overton County has experienced 21 federally declared disasters since 1969, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Overton County's highest-rated hazards are lightning, winter weather, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 21% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (25th 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. Overton County has been designated in 21 declarations since 1969, covering 8 disaster types including severe storm (7), flood (4), winter storm (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 |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2021 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 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 |
| 2012 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds And |
Showing the 10 most recent of 21 total declarations since 1969.
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 | 28.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 27.4 | 14 | 0 | $241K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 53.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 16.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 45.2 | 5 | 0 | $1.5M |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 39.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 40.5 | 11 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 43.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 56.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 40.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 52.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 90.7 | 1 | 0 | $5K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 42.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 47.6 | 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
Overton County ranks in the 25th 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 | 25th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 50th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 31st | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 3rd | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 15th | 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 | 57th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 53rd | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 91.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 31 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 14 in 2016–20 vs 17 in 2021–25 (+21% — 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 Overton County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Overton County, Tennessee are lightning, winter weather, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Overton County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Overton County has received 21 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (7 declarations).
Has Overton County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Overton 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 1969.
How does Overton County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Putnam County, TN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Pickett County, TN has the lowest (Very Low). Overton County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Overton County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Overton 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. Overton County's composite score of 22 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 22% of US counties.