Natural hazards · Sparta

Sparta, TN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Sparta comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 2017. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Sparta?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Sparta to be higher than in 43% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding43%Tornadoes19%Cold waves14%Earthquakes10%Strong wind8%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Sparta faces

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

Inland flooding

43% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 47% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

19% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 66 years in the area

Cold waves

14% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

10% of expected damage

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

Strong wind

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 94% 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 Sparta flood?

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

2paid claims since 2017

$48Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20172026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: White County.

Disasters that hit Sparta

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SpartaDeclared for White County only

2015

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$30K to the City of Sparta for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $8K to the City of Sparta for repairs

1998

Severe Winter Storm

$22K to the City of Sparta for repairs

White County has had 15 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. Sparta covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Sparta’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Sparta. 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 Sparta total about $2.4M 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.