Natural hazards · Jefferson

Jefferson, LA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Jefferson comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1,536 claims here since 1978. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Jefferson?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Jefferson to be higher than in 94% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes.

Hurricanes85%Inland flooding8%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Jefferson faces

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

Hurricanes

85% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Inland flooding

8% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 11% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

DroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Jefferson flood?

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

1,536paid claims since 1978

$24.6Mpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Katrina: 514 claims, $15.9M
Tropical Storm Isidore: 21 claims, $243K
Hurricane Juan: 9 claims, $71K

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Jefferson Parish.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

25homes raised above flood level

2buildings retrofitted against wind

Disasters that hit Jefferson

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into JeffersonDeclared for Jefferson Parish only

2024

Hurricane Francine

86 households applied for aid $99K aid approved

2021

Hurricane Ida

2,606 households applied for aid $2.9M aid approved

2020

Hurricane Zeta

50 households applied for aid $5K aid approved

2012

Hurricane Isaac

1,027 households applied for aid $273K aid approved

2008

Hurricane Ike

27 households applied for aid $8K aid approved

2008

Hurricane Gustav

1,390 households applied for aid $127K aid approved

2007

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

3 households applied for aid

2005

Hurricane Rita

120 households applied for aid $75K aid approved

2005

Hurricane Katrina

2,377 households applied for aid $9.6M aid approved

2004

Hurricane Ivan

12 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

Jefferson Parish has had 37 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and floods.

Around Jefferson

Jefferson and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

New Orleansmostly hurricanesVery high

Jeffersonmostly hurricanesVery high

Elmwoodmostly hurricanesVery high

Bridge Citymostly hurricanesVery high

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. Jefferson covers 5 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Jefferson’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to Jefferson. 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 Jefferson total about $10.4M 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.