Natural hazards · Jacksonville

Jacksonville, AL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Jacksonville comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 4 claims here since 1979. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Jacksonville?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Jacksonville to be higher than in 68% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding54%Tornadoes33%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Jacksonville faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

54% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

33% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Jacksonville flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Jacksonville, from FEMA’s records.

4paid claims since 1979

$4Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19792026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Jacksonville isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Calhoun County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

31storm safe rooms built

1buildings retrofitted against wind

Disasters that hit Jacksonville

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Jacksonville itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the City of Jacksonville.

Brought FEMA money into JacksonvilleDeclared for Calhoun County only

2021

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes

22 households applied for aid $22K aid approved

2020

Hurricane Zeta

$106K to the City of Jacksonville for repairs

2018

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

644 households applied for aid $487K aid approved $4.8M to the City of Jacksonville for repairs

2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

255 households applied for aid $376K aid approved $3K to the City of Jacksonville for repairs

2004

Hurricane Ivan

5 households applied for aid $2K aid approved $30K to the City of Jacksonville for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

10 households applied for aid $20K aid approved

Calhoun County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Jacksonville covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Jacksonville’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Jacksonville. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Jacksonville total about $1.9M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); 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. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.