Natural hazards · Newton

Newton, MS natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Newton comes from tornadoes, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 1979. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Newton?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Newton to be higher than in 46% of U.S. communities, mostly from tornadoes and inland flooding.

Tornadoes32%Inland flooding22%Cold waves15%Hurricanes10%Strong wind6%Everything else15%

By hazard

What Newton faces

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

Tornadoes

32% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 91 years in the area

Inland flooding

22% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 16% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

15% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

10% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 8 years in the area

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 93% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightning

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 Newton flood?

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

3paid claims since 1979

$31Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19792026

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. Newton isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Newton County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

46storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Newton

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into NewtonDeclared for Newton County only

2023

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes.

1 household applied for aid $300 aid approved

2018

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornado

$6K to the City of Newton for repairs

2011

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

30 households applied for aid $54K aid approved

2005

Hurricane Katrina

1,431 households applied for aid $776K aid approved $63K to the City of Newton for repairs

2004

Hurricane Ivan

$6K to the City of Newton for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Floods

10 households applied for aid $19K aid approved

Newton County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

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. Newton covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Newton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Newton. 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 Newton 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.