FEMA expects about as much hazard damage per building in Oak Grove as in the typical U.S. town, mostly from river and rain flooding
On FEMA’s National Risk Index, Oak Grove gets a B− for hazard risk: lower expected damage per building than 54% of U.S. towns, #68 of 177 in Tennessee. Most of that expected damage is river and rain flooding (90%). FEMA’s files show no paid flood insurance claims here.
Graded on FEMA’s expected yearly building damage per dollar of building value (NRI v1.20, December 2025), weighted by where residents live; flood claims are shown, not graded. How hazard risk is graded
What Oak Grove faces
Each hazard’s share of the building damage FEMA expects here, and how its rate compares with the rest of the country.
River and rain flooding
Earthquakes
Shares are of FEMA’s expected building damage, the measure the grade uses; ranks compare each hazard’s building-damage rate with all 85,154 U.S. census tracts. In FEMA’s terms, river and rain flooding is FEMA’s “Inland Flooding” (rivers and streams overflowing their banks, or rain overwhelming drainage). FEMA defines coastal flooding as high or rising tides and storm surge, so surge damage is counted there. Drought isn’t listed: FEMA counts its losses in crops only.
What’s behind Oak Grove’s grade
River and rain flooding is 90% of the building damage FEMA expects in Oak Grove, and Oak Grove’s rate of river and rain flooding damage is higher than 69% of U.S. census tracts. Next is earthquakes at 7% (higher than 70% of U.S. census tracts).
B− #68 of 177 in Tennessee; lower expected damage per building than 54% of U.S. towns (21,298).
Oak Grove’s residents live in 2 census tracts; FEMA’s figures are combined by where they live.
The typical Tennessee town has higher expected damage than 53% of U.S. towns; within the state, Oak Grove has less expected damage per building than 62% of Tennessee towns.
In dollars, FEMA expects about $1.0M a year in losses across Oak Grove: $831K to buildings, the rest to people and crops.
Does Oak Grove flood? No paid flood claims on record
FEMA’s records show no paid flood insurance claims in Oak Grove. That’s not a promise: most homes don’t carry flood insurance, so small floods go unrecorded.
Oak Grove isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Washington County.The storms Oak Grove remembers
None of the 11 disasters declared for Washington County shows FEMA aid or repair money reaching Oak Grove itself in FEMA’s records, so these are its biggest flood-claim years.
Washington County has had 11 natural disasters declared by the President since 1953, most often severe storms, then winter storms. Not counted: the 2005 Hurricane Katrina evacuee emergency, which covered counties that took in evacuees.
Oak Grove and its neighbors
Oak Grove is 2nd of the 3 graded towns here, from least expected damage per building to most. Tap a town to see its hazards.
| Town | Hazard risk | Mostly (buildings) | Flood claims |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson City | Aless damage than 91% | river and rain flooding | 78 |
| Oak Grove | B−less damage than 54% | river and rain flooding | 0 |
| Spurgeon | B−less damage than 54% | river and rain flooding | — |
Hazard risk = FEMA’s expected yearly building damage per dollar of building value, vs. the 21,298 U.S. towns we grade; the map is shaded by fifths of the same scale. Flood claims = paid federal flood insurance claims on record.
Get ready for what Oak Grove faces
A short kit for the hazards that drive the building damage here, what to check before you buy, and where neighbors get alerts.
- Turn around at flooded roads: a foot of moving water can carry off a car.
- Flood insurance usually takes 30 days to start, so buy it before the forecast.
- Keep papers and medicines up high, in a grab-and-go bag.
- Drop, cover and hold on.
- Strap tall furniture and the water heater to the wall.
- Know how to shut off the gas.
- Look up the address on FEMA’s flood map.
- Ask the seller or landlord whether it has ever flooded, and what flood insurance costs there.
- Get a flood insurance quote early: policies usually start 30 days after you buy.
Know where neighbors sign up for alerts? Add it to the Handbook so everyone has it.
Questions about natural hazards in Oak Grove
Is Oak Grove at risk for natural disasters?
On FEMA’s National Risk Index, Oak Grove has lower expected damage per building than 54% of U.S. towns: B− for hazard risk, #68 of 177 in Tennessee. Most of the expected damage is river and rain flooding (90%) and earthquakes (7%). This is FEMA’s model of an average year for today’s buildings, not a forecast.
Is Oak Grove in a flood zone?
Flood zones are drawn street by street, so the answer depends on the address: look it up on FEMA’s flood map. In Washington County, 18% of homes in mapped flood zones carry federal flood insurance, and 0.4% of all homes do.
How much is flood insurance in Oak Grove?
FEMA’s Community Rating System list shows no discount for Oak Grove’s flood program. Premiums depend on the building; policies usually start 30 days after you buy, so get a quote early.
Is Oak Grove at risk from river and rain flooding?
It is the largest share of the building damage FEMA expects here (90%), and Oak Grove’s rate for it is higher than 69% of U.S. census tracts.
Storm stories
Memories, warnings and help from neighbors in Oak Grove.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), census-tract table, combined by where Oak Grove’s residents lived in the 2020 census; OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. Preparedness tips: Ready.gov. FEMA’s model is an average of expected damage, not a forecast. How hazard risk is graded.