Natural hazards · Decatur

Decatur, TN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Decatur comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 2017. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Decatur?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Decatur to be higher than in 42% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding43%Earthquakes15%Tornadoes13%Strong wind12%Cold waves10%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Decatur faces

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

Inland flooding

43% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 48% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

15% of expected damage

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

Tornadoes

13% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 29 years in the area

Strong wind

12% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Cold waves

10% 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 Decatur flood?

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

1paid claims since 2017

$15Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20172026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Meigs County.

Disasters that hit Decatur

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into DecaturDeclared for Meigs County only

2015

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$3K to the Town of Decatur for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

34 households applied for aid $62K aid approved $9K to the Town of Decatur for repairs

Meigs 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. Decatur covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Decatur’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Decatur. 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 Decatur total about $1.6M 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.