Unicoi County, TN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Unicoi County has experienced 18 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Unicoi County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, lightning, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Unicoi County has been designated in 18 declarations since 1973, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (5), flood (5), winter storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Helene |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Helene |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | 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 |
| 2005 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 18 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 | 32.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 27.4 | 3 | 10 | $10.2M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 43.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 1.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 17.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 34.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 7.5 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 31.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 19 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 28.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 43.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 47 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 83.1 | 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
Unicoi County ranks in the 54th 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 | 54th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 69th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 57th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 24th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 38th | 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 | 76th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 73rd | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 69.0% | — |
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 Unicoi County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Unicoi County, Tennessee are landslide, lightning, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Unicoi County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Unicoi County has received 18 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (5 declarations).
Has Unicoi County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Unicoi County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Winter Storm (2026), Tropical Storm Helene (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025), Tropical Storm Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does Unicoi County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Carter County, TN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Mitchell County, NC has the lowest (Very Low). Unicoi County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Unicoi County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Unicoi 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. Unicoi County's composite score of 11 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 11% of US counties.