Forest Hills’s biggest natural hazard is inland flooding
Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Forest Hills comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 37 claims here since 2010. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.
What stands out about Forest Hills’s weather risks
Read from FEMA’s records below. The page puts what stands out first.
3 federal disasters brought FEMA money to Forest Hills
Disasters that paid out in Forest Hills itself (aid to households or repair grants to the City of Forest Hills) and its biggest flood years.
- 2026Severe Winter Storm$2.8M to the City of Forest Hills for repairs
- 202117 flood claims paidThe most in any one year on record
- 2010Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes$344K to the City of Forest Hills for repairs10 flood claims paid that year
- 2000Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding$14K to the City of Forest Hills for repairs
Davidson County has had 23 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and tornadoes.
Old photos of Forest Hills after a storm or flood belong in the town’s history. Add one, or share what you remember below.
Add to the Forest Hills archive →How exposed is Forest Hills?
FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings here to be higher than in 51% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.
Calmer than 290 of the 503 Tennessee towns we cover.
Forest Hills covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.
What Forest Hills faces
Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how it compares with the rest of the country.
Inland flooding
Earthquakes
Tornadoes
Does Forest Hills flood? Sometimes: 37 flood claims since 2010
Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Forest Hills, from FEMA’s records.
- The Late spring storms10 claims · $285K
- The Central U.S. April Flooding3 claims · $146K
- The Mid-spring storms1 claim · $2K
Forest Hills isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Davidson County.Get ready for what Forest Hills actually faces
A short kit for its top hazards, what to check before you buy, and where neighbors get alerts.
- Turn around at flooded roads: a foot of moving water can carry off a car.
- Flood insurance usually takes 30 days to start, so buy it before the forecast.
- Keep papers and medicines up high, in a grab-and-go bag.
- Drop, cover and hold on.
- Strap tall furniture and the water heater to the wall.
- Know how to shut off the gas.
- Pick your spot now: the lowest floor, an inside room, no windows.
- A watch means be ready; a warning means take cover now.
- Keep shoes and a flashlight by the bed.
- Look up the address on FEMA’s flood map.
- Ask the seller or landlord whether it has ever flooded, and what flood insurance costs there.
- Get a flood insurance quote early: policies usually start 30 days after you buy.
Know where neighbors sign up for alerts? Add it to the Handbook so everyone has it.
Forest Hills and its neighbors
Forest Hills ranks 2nd calmest of 3 towns around it. Tap a town to see its hazards.
| Town | Rating | Mostly | Flood claims |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belle Meade | High | inland flooding | 19 |
| Forest Hills | Moderate | inland flooding | 37 |
| Oak Hill | Moderate | inland flooding | 36 |
Rating = expected yearly storm and flood damage as a share of what’s there, vs. U.S. communities. Flood claims = paid federal flood insurance claims on record.
Most disasters here begin in March–May
The month each of Davidson County’s 23 declared disasters began, since 1953.
What these numbers can and can’t tell you
- An average, not a forecast. FEMA’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 there, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings.
- Money that reached town. Flood claims are matched to Forest Hills’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Forest Hills.
- It follows property value. FEMA’s model weighs damage to buildings, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels. Across Forest Hills, expected losses total about $4.4M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.
Storm stories
Memories, warnings and help from neighbors in Forest Hills.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
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. Preparedness tips: Ready.gov. An average of past damage, not a forecast.