Natural hazards · Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, TN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Chapel Hill comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 2010. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Chapel Hill?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Chapel Hill to be higher than in 73% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding49%Tornadoes21%Cold waves15%Earthquakes7%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Chapel Hill faces

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

Inland flooding

49% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

21% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 15 years in the area

Cold waves

15% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 79% of U.S. places

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 Chapel Hill flood?

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

1paid claims since 2010

$20Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20102026

Biggest named events

Late spring storms: 1 claim, $20K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Marshall County.

Disasters that hit Chapel Hill

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Chapel HillDeclared for Marshall County only

2019

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$16K to the Town of Chapel Hill for repairs

2011

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

$35K to the Town of Chapel Hill for repairs

2010

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

8 households applied for aid $32K aid approved

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

3 households applied for aid $35K aid approved

2002

Severe Storms and Flooding

$5K to the Town of Chapel Hill for repairs

Marshall County has had 14 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. Chapel Hill 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 Chapel Hill’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Chapel Hill. 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.