Natural hazards · Benton

Benton, LA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Benton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 1991. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Benton?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Benton to be higher than in 45% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and heat waves.

Inland flooding29%Heat waves29%Tornadoes12%Ice storms10%Everything else21%

By hazard

What Benton faces

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

Inland flooding

29% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 31% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Heat waves

29% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 79% of U.S. places

Recorded about 21 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

12% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 91% of U.S. places

Ice storms

10% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailWinter weatherCold 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 Benton flood?

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

1paid claims since 1991

$714paid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19912026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Bossier Parish.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Benton

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BentonDeclared for Bossier Parish only

2021

Severe Winter Storms

51 households applied for aid $9K aid approved

2016

Severe Storms and Flooding

35 households applied for aid $24K aid approved

2009

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$9K to the Town of Benton for repairs

1999

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

$133K to the Town of Benton for repairs

Bossier Parish has had 26 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. Benton covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Benton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Benton. 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 Benton total about $749K 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.