Natural hazards · Pascagoula

Pascagoula, MS natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Pascagoula comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2,861 claims here since 1978. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Pascagoula?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Pascagoula to be higher than in 92% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes61%Inland flooding23%Tornadoes6%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Pascagoula faces

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

Hurricanes

61% 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

Above average · higher than 71% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 66% 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 Pascagoula flood?

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

2,861paid claims since 1978

$224Mpaid to owners

473homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Katrina: 1,502 claims, $197M
Hurricane Georges: 573 claims, $14.9M
Hurricane Isaac: 157 claims, $2.8M

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 8 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (100) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 10% off flood insurance. Pascagoula 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

31buildings retrofitted against wind

22homes raised above flood level

12flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

1flood-prone homes bought out and moved

1buildings floodproofed

Disasters that hit Pascagoula

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into PascagoulaDeclared for Jackson County only

2026

Severe Winter Storm

1 household applied for aid

2023

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes.

54 households applied for aid $54K aid approved

2021

Hurricane Ida

406 households applied for aid $426K aid approved $32K to the City of Pascagoula for repairs

2020

Hurricane Zeta

604 households applied for aid $795K aid approved $686K to the City of Pascagoula for repairs

2017

Hurricane Nate

$397K to the City of Pascagoula for repairs

2012

Hurricane Isaac

1,220 households applied for aid $754K aid approved $304K to the City of Pascagoula for repairs

2008

Hurricane Gustav

$84K to the City of Pascagoula for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina

13,234 households applied for aid $99.2M aid approved $35.9M to the City of Pascagoula for repairs

2005

Hurricane Dennis

$61K to the City of Pascagoula for repairs

2004

Hurricane Ivan

845 households applied for aid $560K aid approved $818K to the City of Pascagoula for repairs

2002

Tropical Storm Isidore

$141K to the City of Pascagoula for repairs

Jackson County has had 26 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. Pascagoula covers 8 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Pascagoula’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Pascagoula. 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 Pascagoula total about $19.3M 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.