Natural hazards · Henderson

Henderson, KY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Henderson comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 176 claims here since 1981. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Henderson?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Henderson to be higher than in 85% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding52%Earthquakes30%Everything else18%

By hazard

What Henderson faces

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

Inland flooding

52% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 91% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

30% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat 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 Henderson flood?

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

176paid claims since 1981

$3.1Mpaid to owners

38homes flooded more than once

19812026

Biggest named events

March storm: 24 claims, $303K
Central U.S. April Flooding: 2 claims, $67K
Mid-spring storms: 2 claims, $15K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (11) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 10% off flood insurance. Henderson is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 8) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Henderson County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

6homes raised above flood level

3flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Henderson

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into HendersonDeclared for Henderson County only

2025

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

71 households applied for aid $538K aid approved

2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

75 households applied for aid $616K aid approved

2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, and Mudslides

19 households applied for aid $3K aid approved

2003

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

1 household applied for aid

Henderson County has had 20 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. Henderson covers 7 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Henderson’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Henderson. 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 Henderson total about $13.0M 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.