Natural hazards · Gautier

Gautier, MS natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Gautier comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 745 claims here since 1991. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Gautier?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Gautier to be higher than in 94% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes52%Inland flooding23%Coastal flooding7%Tornadoes6%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Gautier faces

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

Hurricanes

52% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Inland flooding

23% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Coastal flooding

7% of expected damage

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

Tornadoes

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 66% of U.S. places

Lower here

HailIce 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 Gautier flood?

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

745paid claims since 1991

$61.8Mpaid to owners

120homes flooded more than once

19912026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Katrina: 484 claims, $57.7M
Hurricane Georges: 127 claims, $1.8M
Tropical Storm Isidore: 19 claims, $94K

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 2 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (14) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Jackson County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

28buildings retrofitted against wind

Disasters that hit Gautier

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into GautierDeclared for Jackson County only

2026

Severe Winter Storm

2 households applied for aid

2023

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes.

22 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

2021

Hurricane Ida

141 households applied for aid $294K aid approved

2020

Hurricane Zeta

375 households applied for aid $467K aid approved

2012

Hurricane Isaac

486 households applied for aid $117K aid approved

2005

Hurricane Katrina

7,407 households applied for aid $31.8M aid approved

2004

Hurricane Ivan

348 households applied for aid $222K aid approved

Jackson County has had 26 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Gautier

Gautier and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Gautiermostly hurricanesVery high

Vancleavemostly hurricanesVery high

Ocean Springsmostly hurricanesVery high

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. Gautier covers 5 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Gautier’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Gautier. 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 Gautier total about $10.9M 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.