Natural hazards · Arlington

Arlington, TN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Arlington comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 9 claims here since 1997. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Arlington?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Arlington to be higher than in 49% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding34%Earthquakes19%Tornadoes19%Cold waves15%Heat waves12%Everything else1%

By hazard

What Arlington faces

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

Inland flooding

34% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 41% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

19% of expected damage

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

Tornadoes

19% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Cold waves

15% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 71% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Heat waves

12% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 51% of U.S. places

Recorded about 22 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Arlington flood?

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

9paid claims since 1997

$405Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19972026

Biggest named events

Late spring storms: 2 claims, $126K

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

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

Insurance rates: Shelby County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Arlington

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ArlingtonDeclared for Shelby County only

2026

Severe Winter Storm

293 households applied for aid $287K aid approved

2011

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

17 households applied for aid $4K aid approved

2010

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

90 households applied for aid $172K aid approved

2008

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

32 households applied for aid $21K aid approved

2003

Severe Storms, High Winds, and Heavy Rain

88 households applied for aid $16K aid approved

Shelby County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter storms.

Around Arlington

Arlington and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Gallawaymostly earthquakesHigh

Arlingtonmostly inland floodingModerate

Lakelandmostly inland floodingModerate

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. Arlington covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Arlington’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Arlington. 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 Arlington total about $9.0M 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.