FEMA rates relative riverine flooding risk for Shelby County as very high and reports FEMA annualized frequency of 5.375 per year for the area.
FEMA summary
FEMA's profile for Shelby County reports FEMA annualized frequency of 5.375 per year for riverine flooding. FEMA's relative risk rating for the area is very high; the annualized frequency is a separate measure.
Hazard metrics cover FEMA county-equivalent geographies rather than individual addresses or parcels. Use local or state hazard maps before making a property, insurance, retrofit, or evacuation decision.
Select a hazard to inspect FEMA's figures for Shelby County.
Riverine Flooding
FEMA combines its area-wide loss estimate and community data in this relative rating. Event frequency appears separately below.
Relative FEMA score
99.9/100
Occurrence thresholds vary by hazard. The FEMA methodology defines the value for each hazard.
The area loss estimate combines FEMA's modeled losses to buildings, population, and agriculture across Shelby County. It is not an estimate for a home or address.
City risk summary
For Memphis, FEMA rates riverine flooding risk for Shelby County as very high, with a relative score of 99.9/100. The next highest relative scores are tornado at 99.6/100 and heat wave at 99.6/100.
Using FEMA data for Shelby County, Memphis is #1 among 9 covered Tennessee entries for riverine flooding risk.
For homeowners and movers
Preparedness actions
Living in Memphis? Learn how to handle water storage, sanitation, and security in a small space.
The map shows Memphis. All FEMA figures on this page cover Shelby County.
The FEMA figures cover Shelby County. Address-level conditions require local maps, building records, and property details.
FEMA rates relative riverine flooding risk for Shelby County as very high. Its FEMA annualized frequency is 5.375 per year. Damage at a specific address also depends on the building, soil, elevation, and exact hazard zone.
Among 9 Tennessee cities covered by this directory, Memphis is #1 for relative riverine flooding risk based on FEMA's score for Shelby County. Homes within Memphis can have different soil, elevation, construction, and hazard-zone conditions.
In FEMA's data for Shelby County, the highest relative ratings are Riverine Flooding (Very High), Tornado (Very High), and Heat Wave (Very High). FEMA uses estimated losses and community data along with event frequency when assigning these ratings.
The hazard numbers cover Shelby County. For an individual home, check local fault, flood, fire, evacuation, and building records for the exact address.
FEMA gives Shelby County an overall relative risk rating of relatively high. Conditions at a specific home depend on its hazard zones, building type, maintenance, insurance, and access to evacuation routes and emergency services.
Start with this step: Confirm the exact hazard using official local maps before making property or insurance decisions. Know how local officials issue warnings and evacuation instructions. Use Ready.gov Be Informed and local emergency guidance for a complete plan.
Limited to products tagged for riverine flooding or general preparedness.
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View productHazard metrics come from FEMA National Risk Index v1.19.0 (March 2023). City population and coordinates come from SimpleMaps US Cities Database. For current conditions, use official local maps, warnings, inspections, and professional advice.