Natural hazards · St. James

St. James, MO natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in St. James comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 1997. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is St. James?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in St. James to be higher than in 20% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and heat waves.

Inland flooding33%Heat waves20%Cold waves19%Earthquakes9%Strong wind5%Ice storms5%Everything else9%

By hazard

What St. James faces

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

Inland flooding

33% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 23% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Heat waves

20% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 45% of U.S. places

Recorded about 12 times a year in the area

Cold waves

19% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 39% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 76% of U.S. places

Strong wind

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 70% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Ice storms

5% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailWinter weatherWildfireLandslidesLightning

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 St. James flood?

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

1paid claims since 1997

$655paid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19972026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Phelps County.

Disasters that hit St. James

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into St. JamesDeclared for Phelps County only

2025

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

9 households applied for aid $1K aid approved

2017

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $1K aid approved

2015

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

2 households applied for aid $1K aid approved

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

8 households applied for aid $8K aid approved

2007

Severe Winter Storms and Flooding

$80K to the City of St. James for repairs

2006

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

9 households applied for aid $1K aid approved

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

1 household applied for aid

Phelps County has had 21 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. St. James covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to St. James’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of St. James. 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 St. James total about $1.7M 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.