Natural hazards · Charleston

Charleston, TN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Charleston comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 5 claims here since 1994. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Charleston?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Charleston to be higher than in 51% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding49%Tornadoes18%Earthquakes18%Cold waves7%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Charleston 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

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

18% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 82 years in the area

Earthquakes

18% of expected damage

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

Cold waves

7% 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 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 Charleston flood?

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

5paid claims since 1994

$27Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19942026

Biggest named events

Heavy rains: 2 claims, $16K

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. Charleston isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Bradley County.

Disasters that hit Charleston

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CharlestonDeclared for Bradley County only

2020

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

6 households applied for aid

2012

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and

3 households applied for aid

2011

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

29 households applied for aid $49K aid approved

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

27 households applied for aid $49K aid approved $13K to the City of Charleston for repairs

Bradley County has had 15 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. Charleston 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 Charleston’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Charleston. 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.