Natural hazards · Trenton

Trenton, TN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Trenton comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 84 claims here since 1978. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Trenton?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Trenton to be higher than in 82% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes.

Earthquakes63%Tornadoes12%Inland flooding9%Cold waves7%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Trenton faces

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

Earthquakes

63% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places

Tornadoes

12% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 40 years in the area

Inland flooding

9% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 20% 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 Trenton flood?

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

84paid claims since 1978

$1.7Mpaid to owners

12homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Late spring storms: 20 claims, $979K
Late winter severe storms: 2 claims, $44K

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. Trenton 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

2storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Trenton

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into TrentonDeclared for Gibson County only

2021

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes

8 households applied for aid

2011

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

$20K to the City of Trenton for repairs

2011

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

34 households applied for aid $16K aid approved $22K to the City of Trenton for repairs

2010

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

198 households applied for aid $743K aid approved $41K to the City of Trenton for repairs

2006

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

12 households applied for aid $5K aid approved

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

11 households applied for aid $1K 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. Trenton covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Trenton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Trenton. 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 Trenton total about $6.5M 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.