Natural hazards · Jackson

Jackson, KY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Jackson comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 53 claims here since 1984. 14 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Jackson?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Jackson to be higher than in 82% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding90%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Jackson faces

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

Inland flooding

90% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningAvalanches

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtTsunamisVolcanic 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 Jackson flood?

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

53paid claims since 1984

$2.0Mpaid to owners

8homes flooded more than once

19842026

Biggest named events

Late July Flooding: 23 claims, $1.5M
February Kentucky Flooding: 2 claims, $17K
Storm: 2 claims, $21K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Breathitt County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

105flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

1flood-prone homes bought out and moved

Disasters that hit Jackson

14 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into JacksonDeclared for Breathitt County only

2025

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

242 households applied for aid $2.2M aid approved $524K to the City of Jackson for repairs

2023

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$4K to the City of Jackson for repairs

2022

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

1,401 households applied for aid $13.9M aid approved $560K to the City of Jackson for repairs

2021

Severe, Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

426 households applied for aid $2.2M aid approved $254K to the City of Jackson for repairs

2019

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$56K to the City of Jackson for repairs

2018

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$4K to the City of Jackson for repairs

2015

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

145 households applied for aid $332K aid approved

2015

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$101K to the City of Jackson for repairs

2015

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$13K to the City of Jackson for repairs

2009

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding and Mudslides

578 households applied for aid $3.0M aid approved $134K to the City of Jackson for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$3K to the City of Jackson for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, and Mudslides

394 households applied for aid $673K aid approved $25K to the City of Jackson for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mud and Rock Slides, and Tornadoes

115 households applied for aid $198K aid approved

2003

Severe Winter Ice and Snow Storms, Heavy Rain, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Mud and

72 households applied for aid $340K aid approved $76K to the City of Jackson for repairs

Breathitt County has had 42 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

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. Jackson is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

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

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.