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Louisville survival atlas

Jefferson County, Kentucky

Reviewed · Data: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025) · U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2025 · By SOS.city, made by the people for the people
In an emergency, call 911

Louisville’s biggest natural hazards are inland flooding, tornadoes and earthquakes. In FEMA’s National Risk Index they make up 92% of the natural-hazard risk for Jefferson County, home to all of Louisville’s 641,962 residents. FEMA rates the county’s overall risk Relatively High. Here is what to do for each, step by step.

People
641,962
Census estimate, July 1, 2025. No. 27 in the U.S.
County
Jefferson County
All of Louisville’s residents. FEMA rates counties, not cities.
Overall risk
Relatively High
Score 98.28 of 100. No. 18 of the 30 largest U.S. cities.
Expected loss
$342 million
A year, from all 18 natural hazards (FEMA estimate).
Top 3 hazards
92%
of the county’s risk comes from these three: Inland flooding · Tornado · Earthquake.

What to do for Louisville’s top hazards

The one rule to remember, then the first steps, word for word from our guides. Each guide lists its sources.

No. 1 · 62% of the risk · Relatively High

Inland flooding

FEMA score 99.10: higher than 99.1% of U.S. counties. Expected loss $213 million a year.

RememberTurn around, don't drown.
  1. Get to high ground now.
  2. Never walk, swim or drive into floodwater. 6 inches of moving water can knock you down; 12 inches carries away most cars.
  3. Car stalls in rising water: get out to higher ground if you safely can. Trapped in fast water: stay inside; if water rises inside, get on the roof.
Every step: What to do in a flood or flash flood
Source // National Weather Service: Turn Around Don’t Drown · Ready.gov: Floods
No. 2 · 23% of the risk · Very High

Tornado

FEMA score 99.74: higher than 99.7% of U.S. counties. Expected loss $80.2 million a year.

RememberLowest floor, interior room, cover your head.
  1. Go to the lowest floor: a small interior room away from windows.
  2. Cover your head and neck.
  3. In a mobile home or a car: get to a sturdy building.
Every step: What to do in a tornado warning
Source // National Weather Service: During a tornado · National Weather Service: Tornado safety
No. 3 · 7.2% of the risk · Relatively Moderate

Earthquake

FEMA score 96.78: higher than 96.7% of U.S. counties. Expected loss $24.8 million a year.

RememberDrop. Cover. Hold on.
  1. Drop to your hands and knees.
  2. Cover your head and neck, under a sturdy table if one is close.
  3. Hold on until the shaking stops. Don't run outside or stand in a doorway.
Every step: What to do during an earthquake
Source // Ready.gov: Earthquakes · Great ShakeOut: Drop, Cover, and Hold On
Emergency911
Poison Help1-800-222-1222
Can’t reach family?Text, don’t call. Texts often get through when calls don’t.

All 18 natural hazards in Louisville, ranked

Ranked by each hazard’s share of Jefferson County’s risk in FEMA’s National Risk Index. The score compares the county with every other U.S. county for that one hazard.

#HazardShare of riskFEMA ratingScoreExpected loss a yearThe rule
1 Inland flooding 62% Relatively High 99.10 $213 million Turn around, don't drown.
2 Tornado 23% Very High 99.74 $80.2 million Lowest floor, interior room, cover your head.
3 Earthquake 7.2% Relatively Moderate 96.78 $24.8 million Drop. Cover. Hold on.
4 Cold wave 2.9% Relatively High 94.84 $10.0 million One warm room. Never heat with an oven or a grill.
5 Heat wave 2.4% Relatively High 96.88 $8.3 million Get somewhere cool. Check on anyone who lives alone.
6 Strong wind 0.6% Relatively High 90.83 $1.9 million Shelter in an interior room, away from windows.
7 Hail 0.4% Relatively Moderate 89.69 $1.5 million Large hail coming? Get inside a sturdy building and away from the windows.
8 Lightning 0.3% Relatively High 91.28 $1.2 million When thunder roars, go indoors.
9 Ice storm 0.2% Relatively High 85.67 $569,000 Stay off the roads. One warm room.
10 Winter weather 0.1% Relatively High 92.29 $438,000 Stay in your shelter, or stay with your car.
11 Wildfire <0.1% Very Low 56.10 $61,000 Leave early. Know two ways out.
12 Hurricane <0.1% Very Low 35.83 $20,000 Know your evacuation zone. Told to go? Go early.
13 Drought <0.1% Very Low 21.24 $5,000 Store water now: 1 gallon per person per day.
14 Landslide <0.1% Very Low 35.43 $422 Follow local alerts. Leave when officials say so.
– Avalanche – Not applicable – – Check your local avalanche center before backcountry travel.
– Coastal flooding – Not applicable – – Run from the water. Hide from the wind.
– Tsunami – Not applicable – – Strong or long shaking near the sea: go high now.
– Volcanic activity – Not applicable – – Evacuate early. In ashfall, stay in and wear an N95.

Source // FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), county 21111. Rules: SOS.city survival guides.

How to read these numbers

  • Share of risk. For each hazard, FEMA estimates the loss each year to buildings, people and farms, then adjusts it for social vulnerability and community resilience. The county’s overall risk is the sum of all 18, so the share shows how much of it each hazard carries.
  • Score. A percentile from 0 to 100. A score of 99.5 means the county’s risk for that hazard is higher than 99.5% of U.S. counties.
  • Rating. FEMA sorts counties into five groups, from Very Low to Very High.
  • Big places rank high. Expected losses grow with the number of people and buildings exposed, so large urban counties rank high on many hazards. A high rating means plan for it, not that it will happen this year.
  • County, not street. These ratings cover the whole county. For flood risk at your address, look it up on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center.
  • Jefferson County is rated Relatively Moderate for social vulnerability and Relatively High for community resilience. Both feed into its overall rating.

Questions people ask

What natural disasters is Louisville most at risk for?

Louisville’s biggest natural hazards are inland flooding, tornadoes and earthquakes. In FEMA’s National Risk Index they make up 92% of the natural-hazard risk for Jefferson County, home to all of Louisville’s 641,962 residents. FEMA rates the county’s overall risk Relatively High.

How does FEMA rate Louisville’s overall disaster risk?

FEMA’s National Risk Index rates the overall risk of Jefferson County Relatively High, with a score of 98.28 out of 100. The score is a percentile: Jefferson County’s overall risk is higher than 98.2% of U.S. counties. Expected losses from natural hazards there average $342 million a year.

What should I do first to get ready in Louisville?

Write down your top three: inland flooding, tornadoes and earthquakes. Turn on Emergency Alerts on every phone and sign up for your county’s alerts. Store water: 1 gallon per person per day for at least 3 days, 2 weeks if you can.

Sources

Every number on this page comes from these public datasets. We check them when we review the page.

General safety information, not medical advice. In an emergency, call 911 and follow local officials.

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