Natural hazards · Murray

Murray, KY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Murray comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 20 claims here since 1978. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Murray?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Murray to be higher than in 73% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes.

Earthquakes62%Inland flooding11%Tornadoes10%Cold waves8%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Murray faces

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

Earthquakes

62% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

11% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 13% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

10% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places

Cold waves

8% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 36% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat 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 Murray flood?

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

20paid claims since 1978

$1.0Mpaid to owners

3homes flooded more than once

19782026

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Calloway County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Murray

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MurrayDeclared for Calloway County only

2025

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

54 households applied for aid $269K aid approved $24K to the City of Murray for repairs

2024

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

33 households applied for aid $42K aid approved $37K to the City of Murray for repairs

2015

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$21K to the City of Murray for repairs

2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$42K to the City of Murray for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$280K to the City of Murray for repairs

2008

Severe Wind Storm Associated With Tropical Depression Ike

$54K to the City of Murray for repairs

2003

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

$19K to the City of Murray for repairs

Calloway County has had 17 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

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. Murray covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Murray’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Murray. 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 Murray total about $7.9M 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.