Nashville, Tennessee Flood Zones
Nashville faces severe flood risk from the Cumberland River, Mill Creek, and Harpeth River. The May 2010 flood caused over $2 billion in damage when the Cumberland River rose to record levels and inundated large portions of the city.
FEMA Flood Risk Profile: Davidson County
Based on FEMA's National Risk Index, which evaluates flood risk at the county level using historical loss data, exposure, and vulnerability.
Inland Flood Risk
Relatively HighEst. annual loss: $160.3M
Hurricane Risk
Very LowEst. annual loss: $107K
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county-level assessment. Individual property risk may vary.
Federal Flood Disaster History: Davidson County
Davidson County has been included in 2 federal flood-related disaster declarations.
These declarations affected communities across Davidson County, including Nashville.
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries API. Data sourced February 2026.
NFIP Flood Insurance Claims: Davidson County
Properties in Davidson County have filed 4,770 NFIP flood insurance claims totaling $184.3M in payouts since 1978. The average claim payout is $39K.
Highest-Claim Years
2010
2,315 claims - $135.4M
2021
493 claims - $23.0M
2017
214 claims - $5.8M
Claims by Flood Zone
Zone AE
2,567
Zone X
1,130
Zone A
846
Zone V
1
Source: OpenFEMA NFIP Claims API. Data sourced February 2026.
Common Flood Zones in Nashville
Properties in Nashville, TN are commonly designated in these FEMA flood zones:
What Your Flood Zone Means in Nashville
Nashville faces multiple inland flood threats, including riverine flooding from nearby waterways and flash flooding from intense rainfall overwhelming urban drainage systems. Properties near river corridors face the highest risk, but stormwater backup can affect neighborhoods well outside the mapped floodplain. The most common FEMA flood zone designations in Nashville are Zone AE, Zone X. FEMA's National Risk Index estimates the county's annual expected loss from inland flooding at over $160.3M.
With both riverine and urban stormwater flood risk, insurance costs in Nashville depend heavily on a property's elevation relative to nearby waterways and the local drainage infrastructure. FEMA's Risk Rating 2.0 prices in multiple inland flood sources rather than relying on the flood zone line alone. If your property is in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) and you have a federally regulated or government-backed mortgage, federal law generally requires your lender to ensure you carry flood insurance.
Flood zone boundaries in Nashville can shift when FEMA updates its Flood Insurance Studies or when upstream development changes how water moves through the watershed. New stormwater infrastructure or dam modifications can also trigger map revisions. Use our free lookup tool to check the current flood zone for any Nashville address.
Check Your Nashville Address
Enter any Nashville, TN address to instantly see its FEMA flood zone, risk level, and whether flood insurance is required.
Free Flood Zone LookupNashville, TN Flood Zone FAQ
What flood zones are in Nashville, TN?
The most common FEMA flood zones in Nashville are Zone AE, Zone X. Properties in these high-risk zones (SFHA) may require flood insurance with a federally regulated or government-backed mortgage.
Is flood insurance required in Nashville?
If your Nashville property is in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) and you have a federally regulated or government-backed mortgage, federal law generally requires your lender to ensure you carry flood insurance. Properties in Zone X are not federally required to carry flood insurance, though coverage is still recommended since about 25% of all NFIP flood claims come from Zone X properties.
How do I check my flood zone in Nashville?
Enter your Nashville address in the search tool above for an instant flood zone determination. Results include your FEMA flood zone, SFHA status, base flood elevation (if available), and FIRM panel information, pulled directly from FEMA's National Flood Hazard Layer.
How high is flood risk in Nashville?
According to FEMA's National Risk Index, Davidson County (where Nashville is located) has a "Relatively High" rating for inland flood risk. The estimated annual flood loss for the county is $160.3M. This county-level assessment considers historical flood losses, social vulnerability, and community resilience.
Has Nashville experienced major flooding events?
Davidson County, where Nashville is located, has been part of 2 federal disaster declarations for flooding, hurricanes, or severe storms. The most recent was Hurricane Katrina Evacuation in 2005. Federal disaster declarations are issued when flooding overwhelms local resources and triggers FEMA assistance programs.
How many flood insurance claims have been filed in Nashville?
Davidson County has recorded 4,770 NFIP flood insurance claims totaling $184.3M in payouts since 1978. The year with the most claims was 2010, with 2,315 claims and $135.4M in payouts. These figures cover all NFIP claims in the county, including Nashville.
Sources
This page summarizes information from FEMA and other official resources in plain language. For full technical details, see the links below.
- FEMA National Flood Hazard LayerDirect Source
The NFHL is the source of all flood zone data shown on this page.
- FEMA Map Service Center — Search by AddressDirect Source
Look up any address to view FIRM panels, FIS reports, and LOMCs.
- NFHL Data and Map StatusTopic Page
View NFHL coverage and data freshness by state and community.
- FEMA National Risk Index — Data ResourcesDirect Source
County-level risk scores for inland flooding, coastal flooding, and hurricane used in the Flood Risk Profile.
- OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries API v2Direct Source
Federal disaster declarations filtered for flood-related incident types (Flood, Hurricane, Severe Storm, Coastal Storm).
- OpenFEMA FIMA NFIP Claims API v2Direct Source
Historical NFIP flood insurance claims since 1978, aggregated by county and state. Includes claim counts, payouts, and flood zone breakdowns.
Sources last verified: February 2026