Natural hazards · Laurel

Laurel, MS natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Laurel comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 108 claims here since 1979. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Laurel?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Laurel to be higher than in 62% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding38%Tornadoes22%Hurricanes18%Everything else22%

By hazard

What Laurel faces

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

Inland flooding

38% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 57% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

22% of expected damage

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

Hurricanes

18% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 7 years in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Laurel flood?

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

108paid claims since 1979

$1.3Mpaid to owners

14homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Mid-spring storms: 8 claims, $139K
Late winter severe storms: 6 claims, $130K
Hurricane Katrina: 6 claims, $94K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Jones County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

34storm safe rooms built

13flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Laurel

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into LaurelDeclared for Jones County only

2023

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes.

5 households applied for aid $10K aid approved $493K to the City of Laurel for repairs

2020

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

395 households applied for aid $1.1M aid approved

2018

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornado

$415K to the City of Laurel for repairs

2016

Severe Storms and Flooding

105 households applied for aid $111K aid approved $100K to the City of Laurel for repairs

2014

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

257 households applied for aid $214K aid approved $152K to the City of Laurel for repairs

2012

Hurricane Isaac

83 households applied for aid $63K aid approved $4K to the City of Laurel for repairs

2008

Hurricane Gustav

$2K to the City of Laurel for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina

14,328 households applied for aid $14.6M aid approved $4.8M to the City of Laurel for repairs

2005

Hurricane Dennis

$4K to the City of Laurel for repairs

2004

Hurricane Ivan

5 households applied for aid $1K aid approved $65K to the City of Laurel for repairs

2001

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

$4K to the City of Laurel for repairs

Jones County has had 25 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. Laurel covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Laurel’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Laurel. 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 Laurel total about $8.0M 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.