Natural hazards · Niota

Niota, TN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Niota comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Niota?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Niota to be higher than in 44% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding44%Earthquakes20%Tornadoes13%Cold waves8%Strong wind7%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Niota faces

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

Inland flooding

44% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

20% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 82% of U.S. places

Tornadoes

13% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 68% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 55 years in the area

Cold waves

8% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 72% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Strong wind

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 75% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 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 Niota flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: McMinn County.

Disasters that hit Niota

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into NiotaDeclared for McMinn County only

2012

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and

1 household applied for aid

2011

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

5 households applied for aid $4K aid approved

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

14 households applied for aid $30K aid approved $2K to the City of Niota for repairs

McMinn County has had 13 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. Niota covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Niota’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Niota. 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 Niota total about $1.6M 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.