Natural hazards · Johnson

Johnson, TN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Johnson comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 78 claims here since 1979. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Johnson?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Johnson to be higher than in 10% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding56%Earthquakes16%Strong wind9%Tornadoes7%Lightning5%Cold waves5%Everything else3%

By hazard

What Johnson faces

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

Inland flooding

56% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 22% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

16% of expected damage

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

Strong wind

9% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 40% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

7% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 49% of U.S. places

Lightning

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 67% of U.S. places

Cold waves

5% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesDrought

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 Johnson flood?

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

78paid claims since 1979

$3.6Mpaid to owners

13homes flooded more than once

19792026

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Washington County.

Disasters that hit Johnson

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into JohnsonDeclared for Washington County only

2024

Tropical Storm Helene

988 households applied for aid $580K aid approved $224K to the City of Johnson for repairs

2022

Severe Winter Storm

$40K to the City of Johnson for repairs

2020

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

$102K to the City of Johnson for repairs

2011

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

19 households applied for aid $10K aid approved $360K to the City of Johnson for repairs

2001

Severe Storms and Flooding

$8K to the City of Johnson for repairs

Washington County has had 12 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter storms.

Around Johnson

Johnson and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Oak Grovemostly inland floodingHigh

Spurgeonmostly inland floodingHigh

Elizabethtonmostly inland floodingModerate

Centralmostly inland floodingModerate

Wataugamostly inland floodingLow

Graymostly 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. Johnson covers 17 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Johnson’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Johnson. 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 Johnson total about $9.6M 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.