Natural hazards · Diamondhead

Diamondhead, MS natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Diamondhead comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 29 claims here since 2005. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Diamondhead?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Diamondhead to be higher than in 88% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes51%Inland flooding28%Tornadoes8%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Diamondhead faces

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

Hurricanes

51% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Inland flooding

28% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 69% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

8% of expected damage

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

Lower here

Coastal floodingHailIce 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 Diamondhead flood?

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

29paid claims since 2005

$1.2Mpaid to owners

10homes flooded more than once

20052026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Claudette: 7 claims, $348K
Hurricane Isaac: 5 claims, $59K
Hurricane Zeta: 4 claims, $18K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (3) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Hancock County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

55buildings retrofitted against wind

1flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Diamondhead

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into DiamondheadDeclared for Hancock County only

2026

Tropical Storm Arthur

14 households applied for aid $9K aid approved

2024

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

11 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

2021

Hurricane Ida

19 households applied for aid $15K aid approved

2020

Hurricane Zeta

212 households applied for aid $136K aid approved

2012

Hurricane Isaac

99 households applied for aid $20K aid approved

2008

Hurricane Gustav

32 households applied for aid $10K aid approved

2005

Hurricane Katrina

3,812 households applied for aid $13.3M aid approved

2004

Hurricane Ivan

3 households applied for aid $762 aid approved

Hancock County has had 23 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

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. Diamondhead covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Diamondhead’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Diamondhead. 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 Diamondhead total about $7.6M 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.