Natural hazards · Smyrna

Smyrna, TN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Smyrna comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 61 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 Smyrna?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Smyrna to be higher than in 63% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding58%Cold waves16%Earthquakes12%Tornadoes9%Everything else5%

By hazard

What Smyrna faces

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

Inland flooding

58% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

16% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

12% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 78% of U.S. places

Tornadoes

9% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 57% 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 Smyrna flood?

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

61paid claims since 1979

$1.4Mpaid to owners

4homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Late spring storms: 37 claims, $1.2M

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Rutherford County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Smyrna

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SmyrnaDeclared for Rutherford County only

2026

Severe Winter Storm

74 households applied for aid $19K aid approved $56K to the Town of Smyrna for repairs

2023

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes

19 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

2010

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

445 households applied for aid $1.3M aid approved $490K to the Town of Smyrna for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

23 households applied for aid $2K aid approved $79K to the Town of Smyrna for repairs

2002

Severe Storms and Tornados

11 households applied for aid $330 aid approved

Rutherford County has had 14 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter storms.

Around Smyrna

Smyrna and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Smyrnamostly inland floodingHigh

Murfreesboromostly inland floodingModerate

La Vergnemostly inland floodingLow

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. Smyrna covers 11 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Smyrna’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Smyrna. 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 Smyrna total about $21.3M 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.