Natural hazards · Benton

Benton, TN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Benton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 1994. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Benton?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Benton to be higher than in 53% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding42%Tornadoes17%Earthquakes15%Strong wind12%Cold waves6%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Benton faces

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

Inland flooding

42% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 58% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Tornadoes

17% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Earthquakes

15% of expected damage

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

Strong wind

12% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 72% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Benton flood?

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

1paid claims since 1994

$27Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19942026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Polk County.

Disasters that hit Benton

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BentonDeclared for Polk County only

2012

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and

4 households applied for aid

2011

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

$19K to the Town of Benton for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

12 households applied for aid $23K aid approved $4K to the Town of Benton for repairs

Polk County has had 19 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. Benton is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Benton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Benton. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

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.