City Risk Report
Knoxville, TN
Knox County · Pop. 185,291
County-level composite · does not reflect parcel-specific conditions
Knoxville buyers should verify seismic retrofit status and earthquake coverage before closing.
Editorial review: 2026-06-19 · Data retrieved: Jun 19, 2026 at 00:00 UTC (snapshot of historical values) · For the latest live data, run a lookup on the Snapshot tool.
Overall Risk Score
Top 10% most at-risk nationally
County-level composite · does not reflect parcel-specific conditions
Overall Risk
Top 10% most at-risk nationally
County-level composite · does not reflect parcel-specific conditions
Expected Annual Loss
Top 5% most at-risk nationally
Extreme · county composite
Est. Annual Insurance
$1,340 – $3,370
Directional range
Last Major Event
1991
Significant seismic event
Insurance Market Context
These scores are county-level composites derived from FEMA National Risk Index. Individual parcels may differ significantly. This is not a property appraisal.
Market Pressure
MODERATE
Tennessee's admitted-carrier market is showing mild contraction. A broker with state-specific experience helps.
Admitted Market Share
80%
Carriers exiting at 2.7% YoY in Tennessee.
Residual Market
$1,876–$4,718
annual · last-resort
FAIR Plan / Citizens exposure up 14% since 2020.
Premium Strain Index
Insurance is roughly 3.1% of median household income — above the 2% middle-income affordability benchmark.
Premium-to-income ratio. Based on state Department of Insurance filings, average annual premiums in this area range from $1,340 to $3,370. Not an insurance quote. The First Street 12th National Risk Assessment characterizes any ZIP above 5% as financially unsustainable.
Knox County Hazard Breakdown
Scores below are from the federal National Risk Index at the county level, refined with parcel-level signals where available (FEMA NFHL for flood, USDA WHP for wildfire, USGS PGA for earthquake, NWS for heat).
Above the national median (top 34% most at-risk)
Hurricane
HighTop 5% most at-risk nationally
Earthquake
ExtremeAbove the national median (top 27% most at-risk)
Extreme Heat
HighTop 10% most at-risk nationally
Flood
ExtremeAbove the national median (top 37% most at-risk)
Wildfire
HighData pending
Severe Storm / Tornado
Low riskWhat each hazard means for you
Expand any card to see the federal source citation and the buyer-specific action items our research team recommends for this hazard profile.
Hurricane Risk
Knoxville ranks in the 66th national percentile for hurricane exposure in the FEMA National Risk Index.
FEMA · National Risk Index
Earthquake Risk
Knoxville ranks in the 97th national percentile for earthquake exposure in the FEMA National Risk Index.
FEMA · National Risk Index
Extreme Heat
Knoxville ranks in the 73th national percentile for heat exposure in the FEMA National Risk Index.
FEMA · National Risk Index
Flood Risk
Knoxville ranks in the 93th national percentile for flood exposure in the FEMA National Risk Index.
FEMA · National Risk Index
Wildfire Risk
Knoxville ranks in the 63th national percentile for wildfire exposure in the FEMA National Risk Index.
FEMA · National Risk Index
Severe Storm / Tornado
Knoxville tornado data is unavailable. Run an address lookup for parcel-specific assessment.
FEMA · National Risk Index
FEMA Flood Zone
Is this specific parcel in a Special Flood Hazard Area?
The free address snapshot queries FEMA NFHL point-in-polygon and returns your exact FEMA Flood Zone (A, AE, X, etc.) in seconds.
Run a free address lookupCarrier Outlook
Tennessee's admitted-carrier market is showing mild contraction. A broker with state-specific experience helps.
Data Sources
Data Sources & Methodology
FEMA— National Risk Index
Retrieved June 19, 2026
Editorial Analysis
Knoxville, Knox County has an overall National Risk Index score of 92 and an expected annual loss score of 96, placing it in the extreme national risk band. The dominant local perils are earthquake, flood, extreme heat. The city-level scores below are county-level composites; actual parcel risk can differ meaningfully by neighborhood, elevation, and lot characteristics. Knoxville's earthquake risk scores 97 at the 97th national percentile, placing it in the extreme band. This is among the highest exposure nationally; standard-market underwriting is increasingly selective and residual-market backup plans are worth modeling. Buyers should verify seismic retrofit status and whether earthquake coverage is included. Knoxville's flood risk scores 93 at the 93rd national percentile, placing it in the extreme band. This is among the highest exposure nationally; standard-market underwriting is increasingly selective and residual-market backup plans are worth modeling. Buyers should check FEMA flood zone status, elevation certificate, and drainage history. Knoxville's extreme heat risk scores 73 at the 73rd national percentile, placing it in the high band. This is well above the national median and often triggers higher deductibles or coverage restrictions. Buyers should model long-term cooling costs, insulation, and grid reliability. The Tennessee insurance market is currently under moderate pressure: admitted carriers write roughly 80% of new business and the residual market has grown roughly 14% since 2020. For higher-risk parcels in Knoxville, the residual market can run from $1,600 to $3,300 annually. Directional standard-market premiums for the city typically range from $1,340 to $3,370, but parcel-specific factors can move quotes well outside that band. Buyers should use the address-level snapshot tool to pin these citywide averages to the specific property under consideration. A full L2 or L3 report will also surface flood zone status, insurance-market pressure, and action items tied to the exact parcel.
— Open Data Collective
Historical Events
Significant seismic event
A notable earthquake reminded buyers in Knoxville that seismic exposure is a long-run ownership variable.
Hurricane impacts
Wind, rainfall, or surge effects from a named storm reached the Knoxville metro.
ZIP Code Risk Profile
Representative ZIP Codes
37918
Knoxville area
37920
Knoxville area
Risk varies significantly by ZIP code and parcel. Use the address-level report for precise, parcel-specific scores rather than city-wide averages.
NRI Score Components
County-level composite · does not reflect parcel-specific conditions
Knoxville Climate Risk FAQ
Ready to check your specific address?
Considering buying in Knoxville?
Two tiers, one funnel: run a free address lookup, then unlock the depth that fits your buying stage. Both options deliver a 12+ page climate brief before you go under contract.
Full Report
Tier L2
Address-level climate risk deep dive covering five hazards, 30-year projections, and an insurance cost estimate. Delivered as a PDF within 24 hours.
- Five-hazard score breakdown: flood, wildfire, hurricane, earthquake, heat
- 30-year federal climate projections for heat, wildfire, and sea level rise
- Insurance premium estimate range based on state DOI filings
- Clear buy / negotiate / walk-away recommendation with plain-language reasoning
- Comparable lower-risk communities within 25 miles (up to 3 when available)
- Plain-English explanations of SFHA, BFE, residual market, and other insurance terms
- Single PDF you can share with your partner, agent, or inspector
Best for: pre-offer sanity check
Delivered: PDF by email within 24 hours
Federal data: FEMA, USGS, NOAA, USDA, EPA
Delivered by email within 24 hours of payment.
Pre-Purchase Audit
Tier L3
Full due-diligence report for under-contract buyers. Adds parcel-level flood zone verification, state insurance market analysis, claim history, and a negotiation brief with specific seller-concession asks. Delivered as a PDF by email within 24 hours.
- Everything in the $19 Full Report
- Parcel-level FEMA flood zone verification (Zone A/AE/VE/X — point-in-polygon)
- State insurance market analysis: admitted carrier share, exit rate, residual market growth
- Premium Strain Index — insurance cost as % of local median income, with 2% / 5% affordability benchmarks
- 10-year NOAA Storm Events claim history for the ZIP code
- Negotiation leverage brief with specific, evidence-backed seller-concession asks (typically 3–5; fewer when data is limited)
- Total carrying cost estimate: HO-3 baseline + standalone perils + residual market fallback
- Identifies whether the property may become hard to insure before you close
- Gives you specific talking points for price, credits, and contingency negotiation
Best for: under-contract buyers
Delivered: PDF by email within 24 hours
Includes: 7-day no-questions-asked refund
Delivered by email within 24 hours of payment.