Natural hazards · Smithville

Smithville, TN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Smithville comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Smithville?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Smithville to be higher than in 29% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding28%Earthquakes21%Tornadoes17%Cold waves14%Strong wind9%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Smithville faces

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

Inland flooding

28% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 17% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

21% of expected damage

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

Tornadoes

17% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 72 years in the area

Cold waves

14% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Strong wind

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 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 Smithville flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: DeKalb County.

Disasters that hit Smithville

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SmithvilleDeclared for DeKalb County only

2015

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$9K to the City of Smithville for repairs

2012

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and

36 households applied for aid $8K aid approved

2010

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

9 households applied for aid $36K aid approved $2K to the City of Smithville for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

27 households applied for aid $38K aid approved $11K to the City of Smithville for repairs

DeKalb County has had 17 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. Smithville covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Smithville’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Smithville. 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 Smithville total about $1.7M 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.