Perry County Disaster Risk

Perry County has a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Very Low, placing it in the 33th percentile nationally out of 3,144 counties. This composite score reflects the county's overall exposure to natural hazards including floods, wildfires, tornadoes, earthquakes, and hurricanes, weighted by expected annual loss and social vulnerability.

Perry County is evaluated for five major natural hazard types: earthquake (72th percentile), tornado (60th percentile), flooding (47th percentile), hurricane (42th percentile), wildfire (8th percentile). The highest-risk hazard is earthquake at the 72th percentile nationally. These scores are derived from FEMA's National Risk Index, which analyzes expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience for each hazard type.

Perry County's composite risk percentile is 33th, compared to the Tennessee state average of 53th percentile. The state's overall risk rating is Relatively Low. This means Perry County faces lower natural disaster risk than the typical county in Tennessee.

Yes, Perry County's earthquake risk is at the 72th percentile nationally. This is above the national median. For flooding specifically, Perry County is at the 47th percentile.

FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) calculates risk scores for 18 natural hazard types across all U.S. counties and census tracts. The composite score combines Expected Annual Loss (estimated dollar losses from each hazard), Social Vulnerability (demographic factors affecting disaster impact), and Community Resilience (ability to recover). Percentile scores rank each county against all 3,144 U.S. counties, and risk ratings range from Very Low to Very High.

Perry County's composite risk score of 33th percentile is below the Tennessee state average of 53th percentile, indicating relatively lower exposure to natural hazards. However, no county is completely risk-free. The primary hazard type is earthquake at the 72th percentile. Residents should still maintain emergency preparedness plans and appropriate insurance coverage.