McNairy County, Tennessee · Selmer
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Pipes freeze in McNairy County on about 10 nights a year, mostly December to February. Older homes, 15% of the stock here, are most at risk.
Basements flood here mostly in March. McNairy County averages 14.6 days a year with an inch of rain or more.
Sewage backups in McNairy County spike on heavy-rain days, about 14.6 a year, when sewer mains fill up and water finds the lowest drain.
McNairy County's wettest day in the 2015–2024 record brought 4.6 inches, and about 60 freeze-thaw days a year mean ice dams in some winters.
18% of occupied homes in McNairy County heat mainly with wood or propane, above the Tennessee county median of 7.8%.
With 89 muggy nights a year, mold in McNairy County can appear within days of a leak. Dry first, then clean.
Local risk profile
About 25,970 people live in McNairy County, 563 square miles in southwest Tennessee, in roughly 12,327 homes. The county seat is Selmer, and Adamsville, Eastview and Finger round out the largest towns. The county's median home was built in 1983.
50/100 Water Damage Risk Index: Elevated McNairy County ranks 51 of 95 Tennessee counties. See the statewide ranking and method.The three factors where McNairy County ranks highest compared with other Tennessee counties.
For frozen pipes, McNairy County is a typical Tennessee county, which is still plenty. From 2015–2024 it averaged 10 nights a year at 20°F or colder, the range where pipes in exterior walls, crawl spaces and unheated garages freeze, and 64 nights at or below 32°F. That ranks 56th of 95 counties.
On January 17, 2024 the low fell to about -4°F, and in the stretch ending February 2021 the county went 7 days in a row below freezing. Leaks from split pipes typically appear the day the thaw arrives.
The freeze season here runs December to February, with January the coldest. If you travel then, leave the thermostat at 55°F or above and open sink cabinets on outside walls.
On average the first fall freeze arrives around Nov 6 and the last spring freeze around Mar 30.
Rainfall is about average for Tennessee. Of roughly 59.2 inches of yearly precipitation, the damage comes from the 14.6 days a year with an inch or more, ranked 36th of 95. February, March and December see the most. The single wettest day in the record: 4.6 inches, September 1, 2017. Multi-day storms matter most for basements; the wettest three days on record here totaled 5.67 inches (through February 24, 2022).
The temperature crosses 32°F in both directions on roughly 60 days a year. Each cycle melts and refreezes water at roof edges and in foundation cracks, which is how ice dams and basement seepage get started.
Housing
Tennessee's 95 counties range widely in housing age; McNairy ranks 31st, with 46% of its homes built before 1980.
Housing age is mixed: 15% of homes are pre-1960 and 24% are 2000 or newer. Ask any plumber which era your house is from and you'll know which failures to watch for.
The 1980s and 1990s account for 30% of the county's homes. If yours is from those decades, look under the sinks and at the water heater for gray plastic pipe stamped PB, which is polybutylene and leak-prone.
Manufactured and mobile homes make up 17% of the housing here. Water lines in the underbelly depend on intact skirting and working heat tape, and they're usually the first to freeze in a cold snap.
19% of homes were vacant at survey time. A leak in an empty rental or seasonal house can run for days before anyone notices, which is why those losses tend to be larger.
Beyond water
McNairy County averages 89 warm, muggy nights a year (lows of 65°F or more) and gets the most rain in March. Mold grows when indoor humidity stays above about 60%, the EPA's ceiling. A basement dehumidifier set to 50% and drying anything wet within 24 to 48 hours prevents most problems.
Mold remediation: what to expectMain heating fuel in McNairy County's occupied homes: 22% utility gas, 58% electric, 15% propane and 3% wood. Propane heat is more common here than in most Tennessee counties. Heating equipment is one of the leading causes of home fires nationally, and the NFPA recommends having chimneys and vents inspected every year.
Fire and smoke cleanup: first stepsCoverage
Calls connect to restoration companies that work across McNairy County. The largest communities by population:
Population from ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Townships and unincorporated areas are covered too.
Nearby
McNairy gets more pipe-freeze nights than any of its neighbors. Hardeman County has the oldest housing nearby, with 46% of homes built before 1980.
By the numbers
| Factor | McNairy | Tennessee median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1960 | 15% | 16% | 58 of 95 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 46% | 41% | 31 of 95 |
| Homes built 2000 or later | 24% | 27% | 65 of 95 |
| Manufactured or mobile homes | 17% | 16% | 42 of 95 |
| Vacant homes | 19% | 12% | 9 of 95 |
| Wood or propane heat | 18% | 7.8% | 13 of 95 |
| Nights at 20°F or colder | 10/yr | 11/yr | 56 of 95 |
| Days with 1 inch+ of rain | 15/yr | 14/yr | 36 of 95 |
| Freeze-thaw days | 60/yr | 60/yr | 48 of 95 |
| Muggy nights (65°F+) | 89/yr | 74/yr | 15 of 95 |
Rank 1 is the highest value. Bars run from the lowest to the highest Tennessee county; the tick marks the median; orange means higher water damage risk than the median, green means lower.
Questions
Peak risk months in McNairy County: freezing from December to February, heavy rain in February, March and December.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024); weather from NOAA nClimGrid-Daily county averages (EpiNOAA), 2015–2024, averaged across the county; county boundaries from Census TIGER. Reviewed 2026-10-21. Methodology