575 flood insurance claims·$11.2M paid
Share of the whole county outline, rivers and lakes included; parts FEMA hasn’t mapped count as zero.
Shaded areas are FEMA’s mapped flood hazard zones in and around Wilson County, Tennessee. Zoomed out they are simplified; at street level the map switches to FEMA’s exact layer. Tap anywhere to check that spot, or search an address above.
Flash flooding from severe thunderstorms dominates the flood character of Wilson County, Tennessee. Over the last 30 years, the NOAA Storm Events Database recorded 82 flash flood events resulting in 1 death, compared to 19 standard flood events. Recent history includes a major, historic multi-day severe weather event in April 2025, and an event on July 14, 2025, where high atmospheric moisture and slow-moving storms caused flash flooding across portions of Wilson and Davidson counties. Another widespread severe weather event occurred from May 8 to May 9, 2024, producing major flash flooding alongside severe winds, large hail, and tornadoes.
National Flood Insurance Program records indicate that flood risks extend beyond high-risk areas, with significant claims occurring across multiple zones. Zone A accounts for 312 claims with an average payout of $32,033 and an average recorded water depth of 4 inches. Meanwhile, Zone X recorded 188 claims with an average payout of $13,894 and an average recorded water depth of 7 inches, while Zone X_SHADED recorded 18 claims with an average payout of $22,331 and an average recorded water depth of 5 inches. Homeowners and real estate agents in both designated high-risk zones and moderate-to-low risk Zone X properties should pay close attention to these historical claim patterns and water depths when evaluating property risk.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
12% of Wilson County’s flood insurance claims were on properties rated outside FEMA’s high-risk zones.
354 NFIP claims with a recorded rated flood zone, 1978 to date. The zone is the one FEMA used to rate that policy, which may not match today’s map. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
In flood insurance claims here that reported a flood depth, the average was 4 inches.
Drawn to scale against an 80-inch door. Even a few inches soaks flooring, the bottom of the drywall and anything plugged in near the floor.
Average of the depths reported on claims (zero and implausible values left out); FEMA’s record doesn’t say exactly where each depth was measured. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
The worst year was 2010, with 236 claims and $5.6M paid, the year of Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-line Winds, and Tornadoes.
Bar height is scaled by square root so ordinary years stay visible next to the worst one. NFIP claims by year of loss. Source: OpenFEMA.
36 NOAA storm reports from Wilson County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Tennessee flood stories →
17 federal disaster declarations since 1974.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm | Jan 22, 2026 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Apr 2, 2025 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, And Tornadoes | Dec 10, 2021 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Mar 25, 2021 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Mar 3, 2020 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-line Winds, And Tornadoes | Apr 30, 2010 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | May 4, 2003 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
101 since 1996: 82 flash floods and 19 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jul 14, 2025 | — |
| Flash Flood | Apr 3, 2025 | — |
| Flood | May 9, 2024 | — |
| Flash Flood | May 8, 2024 | $500,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jul 13, 2023 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 7, 2022 | — |
| Flash Flood | Mar 28, 2021 | — |
| Flash Flood | Mar 28, 2021 | $1.0M |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flash Flood · Jul 14, 2025. Abnormally high atmospheric moisture values continued to lead to scattered thunderstorms across Middle Tennessee during the afternoon and evening hours of July 14, 2025. With very weak steering flow, the combination of heavy rain and slow storm motions led to flash flooding across portions of Davidson and Wilson counties.
Flash Flood · Apr 3, 2025. A major and historic multi-day severe weather event unfolded across Middle Tennessee during early April 2025. This event began during the afternoon hours of April 2nd and continued through April 6th. These first couple rounds of thunderstorms brought damaging winds and large hail along with a tornado risk. The corridor from southwest Middle Tennessee into the Nashville metro area was hit particularly hard with mul…
Flood · May 9, 2024. A widespread severe weather event impacted Middle Tennessee beginning in the early morning hours of May 8, 2024, and continued through the early morning hours of May 9th. During this time frame, numerous rounds of severe weather moved through the area, causing widespread wind damage in nearly every county in Middle Tennessee, hail up to 3 inches in diameter, and four tornadoes. One of these tornadoes in Columbia p…
Flash Flood · May 8, 2024. A widespread severe weather event impacted Middle Tennessee beginning in the early morning hours of May 8, 2024, and continued through the early morning hours of May 9th. During this time frame, numerous rounds of severe weather moved through the area, causing widespread wind damage in nearly every county in Middle Tennessee, hail up to 3 inches in diameter, and four tornadoes. One of these tornadoes in Columbia p…
National Weather Service narratives, lightly trimmed. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Every colour on the map above is a place on this drawing: where the ground sits relative to the flood FEMA plans for.
If a building in Wilson County is in a high-risk zone (A or V) and its mortgage comes from a federally regulated or insured lender, or is federally backed, flood insurance is required.
Outside those zones it is optional, and often worth having: from 2014 to 2024 nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area. Since Risk Rating 2.0, NFIP premiums are set for each building, so the only reliable price is a quote: FloodSmart.gov or a local agent.