Natural hazards · Jackson

Jackson, TN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Jackson comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 84 claims here since 1979. 14 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Jackson?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Jackson to be higher than in 71% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and tornadoes.

Earthquakes55%Tornadoes15%Cold waves12%Inland flooding11%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Jackson faces

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

Earthquakes

55% of expected damage

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

Tornadoes

15% of expected damage

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

Cold waves

12% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Inland flooding

11% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 15% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year 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 Jackson flood?

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

84paid claims since 1979

$2.3Mpaid to owners

9homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Late spring storms: 22 claims, $876K
Mid-spring storms: 4 claims, $158K
Central U.S. April Flooding: 2 claims, $197K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (3) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Madison County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

134flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

15storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Jackson

14 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into JacksonDeclared for Madison County only

2026

Severe Winter Storm

2,381 households applied for aid $3.1M aid approved $348K to the City of Jackson for repairs

2025

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

$280K to the City of Jackson for repairs

2023

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornado

$122K to the City of Jackson for repairs

2021

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$34K to the City of Jackson for repairs

2020

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$147K to the City of Jackson for repairs

2014

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

$307K to the City of Jackson for repairs

2014

Severe Winter Storm

$225K to the City of Jackson for repairs

2011

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

165 households applied for aid $175K aid approved $39K to the City of Jackson for repairs

2011

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

$851K to the City of Jackson for repairs

2010

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

1,607 households applied for aid $2.0M aid approved $1.1M to the City of Jackson for repairs

2008

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

802 households applied for aid $507K aid approved $694K to the City of Jackson for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

5,246 households applied for aid $9.5M aid approved $7.9M to the City of Jackson for repairs

2002

Severe Storms and Tornados

133 households applied for aid $32K aid approved $251K to the City of Jackson for repairs

1999

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and High Winds

$975K to the City of Jackson for repairs

Madison County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and tornadoes.

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. Jackson covers 17 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Jackson’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Jackson. 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 Jackson total about $58.7M 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.