Natural hazards · Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge, LA natural hazards
Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Baton Rouge comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 5,396 claims here since 1978. 17 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.
FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarationsExpected damage
How exposed is Baton Rouge?
Moderate
vs. U.S. communitiesFEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Baton Rouge to be higher than in 50% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.
Inland flooding31%Hurricanes28%Tornadoes22%Cold waves10%Heat waves5%Everything else4%
By hazard
What Baton Rouge faces
Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.
Inland flooding
31% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 30% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area
Hurricanes
28% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 5 years in the area
Tornadoes
22% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 72% of U.S. places
Cold waves
10% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area
Heat waves
5% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 73% of U.S. places
Recorded about 15 times a year in the area
Lower here
Coastal floodingHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Baton Rouge flood?
Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Baton Rouge, from FEMA’s records.
5,396paid claims since 1978
$364Mpaid to owners
0homes flooded more than once
19782026
Biggest named events
- Mid-summer severe storms: 3,315 claims, $320M
- 2021 Mid-Spring Severe Storms: 292 claims, $20.0M
- Tropical Storm Allison: 164 claims, $2.7M
of homes in flood zones
are insured
are insured
of all homes
are insured
are insured
No community discount. Baton Rouge isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: East Baton Rouge Parish.
What’s been done with FEMA grants
230flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
107homes raised above flood level
10storm safe rooms built
10buildings retrofitted against wind
2buildings floodproofed
Disasters that hit Baton Rouge
17 federal disasters brought FEMA money here
Disasters the President declared that paid out in Baton Rouge itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the City of Baton Rouge.
Brought FEMA money into Baton RougeDeclared for East Baton Rouge Parish only
2021
Hurricane Ida
79,627 households applied for aid $49.2M aid approved $4.4M to the City of Baton Rouge for repairs
2021
Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding
1,738 households applied for aid $4.5M aid approved $268K to the City of Baton Rouge for repairs
2021
Severe Winter Storms
737 households applied for aid $388K aid approved $243K to the City of Baton Rouge for repairs
2020
Hurricane Zeta
1 household applied for aid
2020
Hurricane Delta
3 households applied for aid $636K to the City of Baton Rouge for repairs
2020
Hurricane Sally
$21K to the City of Baton Rouge for repairs
2020
Hurricane Laura
20 households applied for aid $15K aid approved $619K to the City of Baton Rouge for repairs
2019
Hurricane Barry
$1.6M to the City of Baton Rouge for repairs
2016
Severe Storms and Flooding
50,045 households applied for aid $308M aid approved $15.2M to the City of Baton Rouge for repairs
2012
Hurricane Isaac
4,891 households applied for aid $2.1M aid approved $1.3M to the City of Baton Rouge for repairs
2011
Flooding
$383K to the City of Baton Rouge for repairs
2008
Hurricane Gustav
47,989 households applied for aid $17.4M aid approved $23.3M to the City of Baton Rouge for repairs
2005
Hurricane Rita
24 households applied for aid $7K aid approved $324K to the City of Baton Rouge for repairs
2005
Hurricane Katrina
43,521 households applied for aid $31.3M aid approved $12.4M to the City of Baton Rouge for repairs
2002
Hurricane Lili
$379K to the City of Baton Rouge for repairs
2002
Tropical Storm Isidore
$70K to the City of Baton Rouge for repairs
2001
Tropical Storm Allison
$843K to the City of Baton Rouge for repairs
East Baton Rouge Parish has had 34 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and floods.
Around Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge and the towns around it
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Monticellomostly inland floodingVery high
Merrydalemostly inland floodingVery high
Brownfieldsmostly inland floodingHigh
Baton Rougemostly inland floodingModerate
Garderemostly inland floodingModerate
St. Georgemostly inland floodingModerate
Port Allenmostly cold wavesModerate
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. Baton Rouge covers 55 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Baton Rouge’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Baton Rouge. 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 Baton Rouge total about $106M 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.