Natural hazards · Ruston

Ruston, LA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Ruston comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 12 claims here since 1989. 13 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Ruston?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Ruston to be higher than in 38% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding34%Tornadoes23%Strong wind12%Ice storms11%Heat waves11%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Ruston faces

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

Inland flooding

34% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 29% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

23% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 82% of U.S. places

Strong wind

12% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Ice storms

11% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Heat waves

11% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 74% of U.S. places

Recorded about 21 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightning

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 Ruston flood?

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

12paid claims since 1989

$128Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19892026

Biggest named events

Spring storm: 2 claims, $20K
Mid-summer severe storms: 1 claim, $5K
Late winter severe storms: 1 claim, $5K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 10% off flood insurance. Ruston is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 8) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Lincoln Parish.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

6homes raised above flood level

5flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

1buildings retrofitted against wind

Disasters that hit Ruston

13 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into RustonDeclared for Lincoln Parish only

2026

Severe Winter Storm

$29K to the City of Ruston for repairs

2021

Hurricane Ida

1 household applied for aid $500 aid approved

2021

Severe Winter Storms

$92K to the City of Ruston for repairs

2020

Hurricane Laura

1,770 households applied for aid $823K aid approved $1.5M to the City of Ruston for repairs

2019

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

$2.6M to the City of Ruston for repairs

2016

Severe Storms and Flooding

215 households applied for aid $71K aid approved $344K to the City of Ruston for repairs

2012

Hurricane Isaac

$2K to the City of Ruston for repairs

2008

Hurricane Gustav

$118K to the City of Ruston for repairs

2005

Hurricane Rita

$42K to the City of Ruston for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina

$273K to the City of Ruston for repairs

2000

Severe Winter Ice Storm

$82K to the City of Ruston for repairs

2000

Severe Winter Storm

$319K to the City of Ruston for repairs

1998

Severe Ice Storm

$267K to the City of Ruston for repairs

Lincoln Parish has had 24 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. Ruston covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Ruston’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Ruston. 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 Ruston total about $4.5M 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.