Humphreys County, Tennessee Natural Disaster Risk
FEMA National Risk Index assessment · TN
LowComposite Risk Score
National percentile: 48th
Humphreys County faces low composite natural disaster risk (NRI Risk Index score 48.3, 48th national percentile), driven primarily by earthquake and strong wind exposure. Expected annual loss across all 18 hazard types is $13M.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 · Updated December 2025
Risk Overview
Humphreys County carries a low composite natural disaster risk, with a National Risk Index score of 48.3 out of 100 — placing it in the 48th national percentile and below the national average for natural-disaster risk. The score blends Expected Annual Loss, Social Vulnerability, and Community Resilience across all 18 FEMA hazard types.
Most of Humphreys County's expected losses come from earthquake (ground shaking from sudden movement along geologic faults) at Low risk — $2M in expected annual loss and about 0.01 events per year; strong wind (damaging straight-line winds outside of tornadoes and hurricanes) at Medium risk — $902K in expected annual loss and about 4.29 events per year; and tornado (violently rotating columns of air capable of catastrophic local damage) at Medium risk — $2M in expected annual loss and about 0.44 events per year. Across all hazards, FEMA estimates $13M in expected annual loss for a population of 19K.
Beyond physical exposure, Humphreys County has a high social vulnerability rating (how susceptible the population is to harm) and a medium community resilience rating (its capacity to prepare for and recover from disasters). That combination — a more vulnerable population with limited resilience — can amplify the human cost of any given event.
The county's disaster history tells the same story: Humphreys County has received 26 federal disaster declarations since 1975, including 16 for severe storm events and 4 for flood events. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm (winter storm), declared in February 2026.
Among 95 Tennessee counties, Humphreys County ranks #55 for overall natural disaster risk.
Top Hazards
All 18 Hazard Risks
| Earthquake | Low | 0.01 / yr | $2M |
| Strong Wind | Medium | 4.29 / yr | $902K |
| Tornado | Medium | 0.44 / yr | $2M |
| Cold Wave | Medium | 1.32 / yr | $1M |
| Landslide | Low | 1.84 / yr | $3K |
| Ice Storm | Medium | 0.71 / yr | $111K |
| Lightning | Low | 57.98 / yr | $172K |
| Riverine Flood | Low | 0.68 / yr | $5M |
| Heat Wave | Low | 5.79 / yr | $231K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 0.02 / yr | $28K |
| Drought | Very Low | 9.20 / yr | $22K |
| Hail | Very Low | 3.16 / yr | $89K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $3K |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 5.53 / yr | $7K |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Coastal Flood | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Tsunami | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
Disaster History
Humphreys County has received 26 federal disaster declarations since 1975, most recently Severe Winter Storm in February 2026. Most frequent causes: Severe Storm (16), Flood (4), Winter Storm (2).
| Declared | Type | Disaster |
|---|---|---|
| February 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| January 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| June 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| April 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| May 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornado |
| August 2021 | Flood | Severe Storm and Flooding |
| July 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| April 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| December 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm and Straight-Line Winds |
Showing the 10 most recent of 26 declarations.
Source: FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (OpenFEMA).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the overall natural disaster risk for Humphreys County?
Humphreys County has a composite FEMA National Risk Index score of 48.3 out of 100, placing it in the Low category and the 48th national percentile. This combines Expected Annual Loss, Social Vulnerability, and Community Resilience across 18 hazard types.
What are the top natural hazards in Humphreys County?
The three highest-rated hazards are Earthquake (Low, $2M EAL), Strong Wind (Medium, $902K EAL), Tornado (Medium, $2M EAL). These account for most of the county's expected annual losses.
How does Humphreys County compare to other Tennessee counties?
Humphreys County ranks #55 of 95 Tennessee counties for overall natural disaster risk, with a low rating.
How many federally declared disasters has Humphreys County had?
FEMA records 26 federal disaster declarations for Humphreys County since 1975, most often 16 for severe storm events and 4 for flood events. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm, declared in February 2026.
What does Expected Annual Loss (EAL) mean?
EAL is FEMA's estimate of average annual dollar losses from natural hazards, calculated from historical event data and exposure models. Humphreys County's $13M EAL is a statistical average, not a guarantee for any specific year or address.