Natural hazards · Baldwin

Baldwin, LA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Baldwin comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 37 claims here since 1979. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Baldwin?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Baldwin to be higher than in 90% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes.

Hurricanes69%Inland flooding12%Tornadoes9%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Baldwin faces

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

Hurricanes

69% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Inland flooding

12% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 18% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

9% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 62% of U.S. places

Lower here

Coastal floodingHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Baldwin flood?

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

37paid claims since 1979

$361Kpaid to owners

7homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Ike: 4 claims, $82K
Hurricane Rita: 4 claims, $82K
Hurricane Gustav: 2 claims, $29K

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. Baldwin isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: St. Mary Parish.

Disasters that hit Baldwin

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BaldwinDeclared for St. Mary Parish only

2024

Hurricane Francine

302 households applied for aid $1.5M aid approved

2021

Hurricane Ida

286 households applied for aid $537K aid approved

2019

Hurricane Barry

$57K to the Town of Baldwin for repairs

2012

Hurricane Isaac

263 households applied for aid $486K aid approved

2011

Flooding

$10K to the Town of Baldwin for repairs

2008

Hurricane Ike

174 households applied for aid $438K aid approved $73K to the Town of Baldwin for repairs

2008

Hurricane Gustav

564 households applied for aid $875K aid approved $158K to the Town of Baldwin for repairs

2005

Hurricane Rita

679 households applied for aid $809K aid approved $51K to the Town of Baldwin for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina

156 households applied for aid $278K aid approved $1K to the Town of Baldwin for repairs

2002

Hurricane Lili

$38K to the Town of Baldwin for repairs

2001

Tropical Storm Allison

$12K to the Town of Baldwin for repairs

St. Mary Parish has had 34 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes 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. Baldwin covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Baldwin’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Baldwin. 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 Baldwin total about $1.5M 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.