Rhea County, TN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Rhea County has experienced 21 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.
Rhea County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, earthquake, and strong wind, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is elevated (72nd 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. Rhea County has been designated in 21 declarations since 1973, covering 8 disaster types including severe storm (10), flood (3), 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 |
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornado |
| 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 21 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 | 48.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 62.7 | 4 | 0 | $10K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 75.9 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 28.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 56.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 46.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 35.1 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 66.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 44.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 37.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 59.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 59.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 39.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 82.6 | 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
Rhea County ranks in the 72nd percentile (Moderate) 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 | 72nd | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 77th | High |
| Household characteristics | 87th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 35th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 47th | 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 | 75th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 70th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 77.6% | — |
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 Rhea County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Rhea County, Tennessee are landslide, earthquake, and strong wind. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Rhea County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Rhea County has received 21 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (10 declarations).
Has Rhea County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Rhea 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 Rhea County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Roane County, TN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Van Buren County, TN has the lowest (Very Low). Rhea County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Rhea County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Rhea 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. Rhea County's composite score of 49 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 49% of US counties.