Natural hazards · Nicholasville

Nicholasville, KY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Nicholasville comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 17 claims here since 1978. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Nicholasville?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Nicholasville to be higher than in 29% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding35%Tornadoes22%Strong wind15%Cold waves10%Lightning7%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Nicholasville 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 37% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

22% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 78% of U.S. places

Strong wind

15% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 93% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Cold waves

10% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 63% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lightning

7% of expected damage

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

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesDrought

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 Nicholasville flood?

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

17paid claims since 1978

$285Kpaid to owners

4homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Not a named storm: 2 claims, $36K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Jessamine County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Nicholasville

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into NicholasvilleDeclared for Jessamine County only

2025

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

54 households applied for aid $283K aid approved

2024

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

28 households applied for aid $25K aid approved

2021

Severe, Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

8 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

2015

Severe Winter Storms, Snowstorms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$51K to the City of Nicholasville for repairs

2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Tornadoes

119 households applied for aid $447K aid approved $27K to the City of Nicholasville for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$556K to the City of Nicholasville for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, and Mudslides

4 households applied for aid $9K aid approved

2003

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

2 households applied for aid $7K aid approved

2003

Severe Winter Ice and Snow Storms, Heavy Rain, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Mud and

$34K to the City of Nicholasville for repairs

Jessamine County has had 23 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. Nicholasville covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Nicholasville’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Nicholasville. 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 Nicholasville total about $4.5M 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.