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Natural hazards · Jonesboro

Jonesboro, AR natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Jonesboro comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 232 claims here since 1978. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Jonesboro?

74
High
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Jonesboro to be higher than in 74% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and tornadoes.

Earthquakes44%Tornadoes19%Inland flooding16%Cold waves8%Heat waves6%Everything else7%
By hazard

What Jonesboro faces

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

Earthquakes

44% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Tornadoes

19% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

16% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 37% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

8% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Heat waves

6% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 64% of U.S. places
Recorded about 20 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Jonesboro flood?

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

232paid claims since 1978
$6.7Mpaid to owners
35homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • Late spring severe storms: 7 claims, $237K
  • March storm: 4 claims, $31K
  • Mid-spring storms: 1 claim, $18K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (7) ■ flooded 2+ times

of all homes
are insured
🏷️ 10% off flood insurance. Jonesboro is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 8) for its flood-proofing work.
Insurance rates: Craighead County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

115storm safe rooms built
11flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
Disasters that hit Jonesboro

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into JonesboroDeclared for Craighead County only
2025

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

620 households applied for aid $247K aid approved
2021

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

40 households applied for aid $60K aid approved
2020

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds

$861K to the City of Jonesboro for repairs
2009

Severe Storms and Flooding

$8K to the City of Jonesboro for repairs
2009

Severe Winter Storm

$1.4M to the City of Jonesboro for repairs
2008

Tropical Storm Ike

$296K to the City of Jonesboro for repairs
2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

12 households applied for aid $70K aid approved $187K to the City of Jonesboro for repairs
2005

Hurricane Katrina Evacuation

$15K to the City of Jonesboro for repairs
2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

13 households applied for aid $10K aid approved
2002

Severe Ice Storm

$407K to the City of Jonesboro for repairs
2001

Severe Storms and Flooding

$63K to the City of Jonesboro for repairs
Craighead County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and tornadoes.
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. Jonesboro covers 11 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Jonesboro’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Jonesboro. 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 Jonesboro total about $45.4M 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.

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