Natural hazards · Hattiesburg

Hattiesburg, MS natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Hattiesburg comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 932 claims here since 1978. 12 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Hattiesburg?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Hattiesburg to be higher than in 54% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding34%Tornadoes23%Hurricanes21%Strong wind6%Heat waves5%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Hattiesburg faces

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

Inland flooding

34% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 44% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

23% of expected damage

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

Hurricanes

21% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 7 years in the area

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Heat waves

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 50% of U.S. places

Recorded about 12 times a year in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Hattiesburg flood?

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

932paid claims since 1978

$7.3Mpaid to owners

30homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Katrina: 27 claims, $531K
Late winter severe storms: 8 claims, $159K
Hurricane Georges: 1 claim, $44K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (6) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 15% off flood insurance. Hattiesburg is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 7) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Forrest County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

53flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

16storm safe rooms built

11buildings retrofitted against wind

9flood-prone homes bought out and moved

Disasters that hit Hattiesburg

12 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into HattiesburgDeclared for Forrest County only

2026

Severe Winter Storm

3 households applied for aid

2021

Hurricane Ida

$50K to the City of Hattiesburg for repairs

2018

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornado

$463K to the City of Hattiesburg for repairs

2017

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

1,439 households applied for aid $2.5M aid approved $6.1M to the City of Hattiesburg for repairs

2016

Severe Storms and Flooding

196 households applied for aid $322K aid approved $645K to the City of Hattiesburg for repairs

2013

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

2,063 households applied for aid $2.3M aid approved $1.4M to the City of Hattiesburg for repairs

2012

Hurricane Isaac

413 households applied for aid $301K aid approved $24K to the City of Hattiesburg for repairs

2008

Hurricane Gustav

$102K to the City of Hattiesburg for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina

26,811 households applied for aid $28.7M aid approved $10.4M to the City of Hattiesburg for repairs

2005

Hurricane Dennis

$46K to the City of Hattiesburg for repairs

2004

Hurricane Ivan

$81K to the City of Hattiesburg for repairs

2001

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

$161K to the City of Hattiesburg for repairs

Forrest County has had 24 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Hattiesburg

Hattiesburg and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Arnold Linemostly inland floodingHigh

Rawls Springsmostly inland floodingHigh

Petalmostly inland floodingHigh

Hattiesburgmostly inland floodingModerate

West Hattiesburgmostly inland floodingLow

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. Hattiesburg covers 14 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Hattiesburg’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Hattiesburg. 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 Hattiesburg total about $20.3M 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.