Sumner County, TN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Sumner County has experienced 22 federally declared disasters since 1969, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Sumner County's highest-rated hazards are tornado, strong wind, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 98 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (29th 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. Sumner County has been designated in 22 declarations since 1969, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (13), 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 |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Tornadoes |
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornado |
| 2022 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, And Straight-Line Winds |
Showing the 10 most recent of 22 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 | 37.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 88.6 | 41 | 1 | $12.4M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 91.7 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 74.2 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 95.5 | 9 | 0 | $11.6M |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 32.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 86.9 | 43 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 93.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 88.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 87.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 92.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 82.4 | 3 | 0 | $257K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 41.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 44.8 | 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
Sumner County ranks in the 29th 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 | 29th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 30th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 41st | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 51st | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 24th | 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 | 16th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 15th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 66.1% | — |
NOAA tracked 98 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 50 in 2016–20 vs 48 in 2021–25 (-4% — relatively stable).
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 Sumner County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Sumner County, Tennessee are tornado, strong wind, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Sumner County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Sumner County has received 22 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (13 declarations).
Has Sumner County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Sumner 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), Severe Storms And Tornadoes (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1969.
How does Sumner 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). Sumner County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Sumner County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Sumner 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. Sumner County's composite score of 88 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 88% of US counties.