Natural hazards · Jackson

Jackson, LA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Jackson comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 1997. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Jackson?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Jackson to be higher than in 62% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding35%Hurricanes19%Tornadoes19%Cold waves11%Drought7%Everything else9%

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

35% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 61% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Hurricanes

19% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Tornadoes

19% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 69% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 12 years in the area

Cold waves

11% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Drought

7% of expected damage

Recorded about 16 times a year in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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.

2paid claims since 1997

$85Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19972026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Gustav: 1 claim, $61K

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: East Feliciana Parish.

Disasters that hit Jackson

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into JacksonDeclared for East Feliciana Parish only

2021

Hurricane Ida

747 households applied for aid $605K aid approved

2020

Hurricane Laura

79 households applied for aid $11K aid approved

2016

Severe Storms and Flooding

201 households applied for aid $266K aid approved $42K to the Town of Jackson for repairs

2012

Hurricane Isaac

78 households applied for aid $51K aid approved $103K to the Town of Jackson for repairs

2008

Hurricane Gustav

492 households applied for aid $513K aid approved $99K to the Town of Jackson for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina

636 households applied for aid $691K aid approved $9K to the Town of Jackson for repairs

East Feliciana Parish has had 29 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. 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 Town 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.