Natural hazards · Rutherford

Rutherford, TN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Rutherford comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 2001. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Rutherford?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Rutherford to be higher than in 86% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes.

Earthquakes62%Tornadoes11%Inland flooding10%Cold waves7%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Rutherford faces

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

Earthquakes

62% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Tornadoes

11% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 31 years in the area

Inland flooding

10% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 31% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

7% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 44% 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 Rutherford flood?

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

1paid claims since 2001

$9Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20012026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Gibson County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

3storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Rutherford

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into RutherfordDeclared for Gibson County only

2023

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

33 households applied for aid $19K aid approved $15K to the Town of Rutherford for repairs

2011

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

2 households applied for aid

2010

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

10 households applied for aid $12K aid approved $53K to the Town of Rutherford for repairs

2006

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

101 households applied for aid $141K aid approved $177K to the Town of Rutherford for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $174 aid approved

Gibson County has had 23 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. Rutherford 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 Rutherford’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Rutherford. 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.

Rutherford, TN natural hazards

How exposed is Rutherford?

What Rutherford faces

Earthquakes

Tornadoes

Inland flooding

Cold waves

Lower here

Not a risk here

Does Rutherford flood?

What’s been done with FEMA grants

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

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

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

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

How to read this page

Where to, neighbor?

Matches

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