Smith County, TN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Smith County has experienced 22 federally declared disasters since 1975, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Smith County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, earthquake, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Very Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 71% 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. Smith County has been designated in 22 declarations since 1975, 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 |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2021 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Showing the 10 most recent of 22 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 | 5.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 31.6 | 12 | 0 | $2.0M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 50.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 25.8 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 49.8 | 6 | 0 | $5.1M |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 23.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 31 | 12 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 47.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 31.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 18 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 46.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 25.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 42 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 51.7 | 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
Smith County ranks in the 41st 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 | 41st | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 47th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 55th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 27th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 33rd | 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 | 22nd | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 20th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 89.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 31 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 24 in 2016–20 vs 7 in 2021–25 (-71% — frequency decreasing).
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 Smith County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Smith County, Tennessee are landslide, earthquake, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Smith County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Smith County has received 22 federal disaster declarations since 1975, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (10 declarations).
Has Smith County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Smith County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025), Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1975.
How does Smith County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Wilson County, TN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Trousdale County, TN has the lowest (Very Low). Smith County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Smith County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Smith 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. Smith County's composite score of 19 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 19% of US counties.