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Natural hazards · Jefferson

Jefferson, MO natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Jefferson comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 288 claims here since 1979. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Jefferson?

57
Moderate
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Jefferson to be higher than in 57% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding50%Tornadoes14%Heat waves14%Earthquakes9%Everything else13%
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.

Inland flooding

50% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 71% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

14% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 72% of U.S. places

Heat waves

14% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 35% of U.S. places
Recorded about 12 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

9% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 75% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Jefferson flood?

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

288paid claims since 1979
$7.9Mpaid to owners
30homes flooded more than once
19792026

Biggest named events

  • Midwest Flooding: 114 claims, $3.3M
  • Not a named storm: 2 claims, $9K
  • Hurricane Ike: 1 claim, $30K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (8) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
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: Cole County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

39flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
Disasters that hit Jefferson

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into JeffersonDeclared for Cole County only
2019

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

469 households applied for aid $751K aid approved $1.6M to the City of Jefferson for repairs
2017

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $990 aid approved $350K to the City of Jefferson for repairs
2015

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

25 households applied for aid $87K aid approved
2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$95K to the City of Jefferson for repairs
2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid
2007

Severe Winter Storms

$705K to the City of Jefferson for repairs
2007

Severe Winter Storms and Flooding

$129K to the City of Jefferson for repairs
2006

Severe Winter Storms

$105K to the City of Jefferson for repairs
2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

45 households applied for aid $2K aid approved
Cole County has had 20 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. Jefferson covers 7 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Jefferson’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of 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 $18.4M 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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01
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