Natural hazards · Franklin

Franklin, AL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Franklin comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 2015. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Franklin?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Franklin to be higher than in 56% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding62%Tornadoes12%Hurricanes5%Heat waves5%Earthquakes5%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Franklin faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

62% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 70% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Tornadoes

12% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 39 years in the area

Hurricanes

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 73% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 11 years in the area

Heat waves

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 58% of U.S. places

Recorded about 9 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 66% of U.S. places

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Franklin flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Franklin, from FEMA’s records.

1paid claims since 2015

$14Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20152026

Biggest named events

Early winter storms: 1 claim, $14K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Franklin isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Macon County.

Disasters that hit Franklin

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Franklin itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Town of Franklin.

Brought FEMA money into FranklinDeclared for Macon County only

2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

9 households applied for aid $8K aid approved

2004

Hurricane Ivan

151 households applied for aid $181K aid approved

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

8 households applied for aid $5K aid approved

Macon County has had 23 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Franklin covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Franklin’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Franklin. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Franklin total about $420K a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.

Franklin, AL natural hazards

How exposed is Franklin?

What Franklin faces

Inland flooding

Tornadoes

Hurricanes

Heat waves

Earthquakes

Lower here

Not a risk here

Does Franklin flood?

Biggest named events

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

Hurricane Ivan

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

How to read this page

Where to, neighbor?

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