Natural hazards · Bardstown

Bardstown, KY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Bardstown comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 8 claims here since 1997. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Bardstown?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Bardstown to be higher than in 24% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding35%Tornadoes18%Strong wind14%Cold waves12%Earthquakes8%Lightning8%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Bardstown faces

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

Inland flooding

35% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 26% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

18% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places

Strong wind

14% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Cold waves

12% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

8% of expected damage

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

Lightning

8% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 55% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesDrought

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 Bardstown flood?

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

8paid claims since 1997

$102Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19972026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Nelson County.

Disasters that hit Bardstown

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BardstownDeclared for Nelson County only

2025

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

17 households applied for aid $87K aid approved

2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Tornadoes

9 households applied for aid $18K aid approved

2009

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$247K to the City of Bardstown for repairs

2004

Severe Winter Storm and Record Snow

$270K to the City of Bardstown for repairs

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

$121K to the City of Bardstown for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mud and Rock Slides, and Tornadoes

5 households applied for aid $9K aid approved

Nelson County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter storms.

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. Bardstown covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Bardstown’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Bardstown. 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 Bardstown total about $3.0M 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.