Natural hazards · Loretto

Loretto, TN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Loretto comes from tornadoes, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Loretto?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Loretto to be higher than in 45% of U.S. communities, mostly from tornadoes and inland flooding.

Tornadoes32%Inland flooding24%Cold waves17%Earthquakes16%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Loretto faces

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

Tornadoes

32% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 19 years in the area

Inland flooding

24% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 32% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Cold waves

17% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

16% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places

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 Loretto flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Lawrence County.

Disasters that hit Loretto

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into LorettoDeclared for Lawrence County only

2010

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

8 households applied for aid $7K aid approved

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

1 household applied for aid

Lawrence County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

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. Loretto covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Loretto’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Loretto. 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 Loretto total about $1.9M 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.