Natural hazards · Collegedale

Collegedale, TN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Collegedale comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 2003. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Collegedale?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Collegedale to be higher than in 43% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding44%Tornadoes28%Earthquakes11%Cold waves6%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Collegedale faces

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

Inland flooding

44% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 54% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

28% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 85 years in the area

Earthquakes

11% of expected damage

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

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 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 Collegedale flood?

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

2paid claims since 2003

$43Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20032026

Biggest named events

Heavy rains: 1 claim, $29K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Hamilton County.

Disasters that hit Collegedale

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CollegedaleDeclared for Hamilton County only

2012

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and

1 household applied for aid $4K aid approved

2011

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

4 households applied for aid $15K aid approved $126K to the City of Collegedale for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

5 households applied for aid $8K aid approved $2K to the City of Collegedale for repairs

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

Around Collegedale

Collegedale and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Chattanoogamostly inland floodingHigh

Collegedalemostly inland floodingModerate

Apisonmostly inland floodingModerate

Ooltewahmostly inland floodingLow

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. Collegedale 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 Collegedale’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Collegedale. 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.