Natural hazards · Spencer

Spencer, TN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Spencer comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high 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 Spencer?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Spencer to be higher than in 70% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding50%Cold waves20%Tornadoes17%Strong wind5%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Spencer faces

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

Inland flooding

50% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Cold waves

20% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

17% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 91% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 17 years in the area

Strong wind

5% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 91% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Spencer flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Van Buren County.

Disasters that hit Spencer

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SpencerDeclared for Van Buren County only

2019

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$13K to the City of Spencer for repairs

2002

Severe Storms and Tornados

6 households applied for aid $26K aid approved

2002

Severe Storms and Flooding

$3K to the City of Spencer for repairs

1998

Severe Winter Storm

$5K to the City of Spencer for repairs

Van Buren County has had 17 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. Spencer 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 Spencer’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Spencer. 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.