Natural hazards · Gadsden

Gadsden, TN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Gadsden comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Gadsden?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Gadsden to be higher than in 75% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes.

Earthquakes47%Inland flooding14%Cold waves12%Tornadoes10%Strong wind6%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Gadsden faces

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

Earthquakes

47% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 91% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

14% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 39% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

12% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 43% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

10% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 25 years in the area

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year 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 Gadsden flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Gadsden.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Crockett County.

Disasters that hit Gadsden

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into GadsdenDeclared for Crockett County only

2011

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

12 households applied for aid $6K aid approved $64K to the Town of Gadsden for repairs

2011

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

1 household applied for aid $1K to the Town of Gadsden for repairs

2010

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

21 households applied for aid $46K aid approved $11K to the Town of Gadsden for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $516 aid approved

2002

Severe Storms and Tornados

6 households applied for aid $21K aid approved

Crockett 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. Gadsden 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 Gadsden’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Gadsden. 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.