Natural hazards · Baker

Baker, LA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Baker comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 421 claims here since 1978. 14 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Baker?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Baker to be higher than in 86% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding51%Tornadoes19%Hurricanes14%Cold waves8%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Baker faces

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

Inland flooding

51% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

19% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 77% of U.S. places

Hurricanes

14% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Cold waves

8% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Baker flood?

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

421paid claims since 1978

$18.7Mpaid to owners

29homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Mid-summer severe storms: 241 claims, $16.6M
Tropical Storm Allison: 14 claims, $152K
Hurricane Delta: 7 claims, $313K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (3) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 05% off flood insurance. Baker is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 9) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: East Baton Rouge Parish.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

9flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

6homes raised above flood level

5buildings floodproofed

1storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Baker

14 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BakerDeclared for East Baton Rouge Parish only

2024

Hurricane Francine

$28K to the City of Baker for repairs

2021

Hurricane Ida

3,720 households applied for aid $2.2M aid approved $358K to the City of Baker for repairs

2021

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

22 households applied for aid $26K aid approved

2021

Severe Winter Storms

36 households applied for aid $22K aid approved $38K to the City of Baker for repairs

2020

Hurricane Delta

$181K to the City of Baker for repairs

2020

Hurricane Laura

1 household applied for aid

2019

Hurricane Barry

$89K to the City of Baker for repairs

2016

Severe Storms and Flooding

4,193 households applied for aid $25.9M aid approved $1.8M to the City of Baker for repairs

2012

Hurricane Isaac

268 households applied for aid $127K aid approved $116K to the City of Baker for repairs

2008

Hurricane Gustav

2,586 households applied for aid $1.1M aid approved $1.3M to the City of Baker for repairs

2005

Hurricane Rita

1 household applied for aid $370K to the City of Baker for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina

2,726 households applied for aid $1.9M aid approved $967K to the City of Baker for repairs

2002

Hurricane Lili

$20K to the City of Baker for repairs

2001

Tropical Storm Allison

$9K to the City of Baker for repairs

East Baton Rouge Parish has had 34 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and floods.

Around Baker

Baker and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Bakermostly inland floodingVery high

Brownfieldsmostly inland floodingHigh

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. Baker covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Baker’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Baker. 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 Baker total about $6.4M 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.