Natural hazards · Elizabethton

Elizabethton, TN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Elizabethton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 65 claims here since 1984. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Elizabethton?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Elizabethton to be higher than in 46% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding77%Strong wind7%Everything else17%

By hazard

What Elizabethton faces

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

Inland flooding

77% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 71% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Strong wind

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 62% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Elizabethton flood?

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

65paid claims since 1984

$2.0Mpaid to owners

6homes flooded more than once

19842026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Helene: 31 claims, $1.8M

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

🏷️ 10% off flood insurance. Elizabethton is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 8) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Carter County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

19flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

2storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Elizabethton

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ElizabethtonDeclared for Carter County only

2024

Tropical Storm Helene

1,465 households applied for aid $3.4M aid approved $1.7M to the City of Elizabethton for repairs

2019

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$27K to the City of Elizabethton for repairs

2001

Severe Storms and Flooding

$4K to the City of Elizabethton for repairs

Carter County has had 14 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Elizabethton

Elizabethton and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Valley Forgemostly inland floodingVery high

Huntermostly inland floodingHigh

Elizabethtonmostly inland floodingModerate

Centralmostly inland floodingModerate

Biltmoremostly inland floodingLow

Pine Crestmostly inland floodingVery low

Johnson Citymostly inland floodingVery low

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. Elizabethton covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Elizabethton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Elizabethton. 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 Elizabethton total about $4.2M 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.