Natural hazards · Jackson

Jackson, MO 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 33 claims here since 1982. 10 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 76% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding43%Earthquakes20%Heat waves11%Cold waves9%Tornadoes8%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

43% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

20% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Heat waves

11% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 11 times a year in the area

Cold waves

9% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 20% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

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.

33paid claims since 1982

$279Kpaid to owners

5homes flooded more than once

19822026

Biggest named events

March storm: 2 claims, $6K
Mid-spring storms: 1 claim, $18K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

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: Cape Girardeau County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Jackson

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into JacksonDeclared for Cape Girardeau County only

2025

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding

3 households applied for aid $6K aid approved $16K to the City of Jackson for repairs

2019

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$211K to the City of Jackson for repairs

2015

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

3 households applied for aid $28K aid approved

2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

42 households applied for aid $62K aid approved

2009

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

10 households applied for aid $9K aid approved

2009

Severe Winter Storm

$29K to the City of Jackson for repairs

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

146 households applied for aid $112K aid approved

2008

Severe Winter Storms and Flooding

$843K to the City of Jackson for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

167 households applied for aid $116K aid approved $399K to the City of Jackson for repairs

2002

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

$4K to the City of Jackson for repairs

Cape Girardeau County has had 24 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms 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 covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

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 City of Jackson. 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 Jackson total about $2.7M 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.