Natural hazards · Pigeon Forge

Pigeon Forge, TN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Pigeon Forge comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 196 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 Pigeon Forge?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Pigeon Forge to be higher than in 37% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding68%Earthquakes12%Tornadoes7%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Pigeon Forge faces

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

Inland flooding

68% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 53% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

12% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 77% of U.S. places

Tornadoes

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 56% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Pigeon Forge flood?

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

196paid claims since 1979

$2.3Mpaid to owners

20homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Heavy rains: 31 claims, $337K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (5) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Sevier County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Pigeon Forge

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Pigeon ForgeDeclared for Sevier County only

2024

Tropical Storm Helene

$26K to the City of Pigeon Forge for repairs

2019

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$19K to the City of Pigeon Forge for repairs

2016

Wildfires

42 households applied for aid $66K aid approved $222K to the City of Pigeon Forge for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

5 households applied for aid $13K aid approved

2002

Severe Storms and Flooding

$18K to the City of Pigeon Forge for repairs

Sevier County has had 19 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. Pigeon Forge 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 Pigeon Forge’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Pigeon Forge. 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.