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Jackson Parish, Louisiana

Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.

Very Low overall risk
57th of 64highest risk in Louisiana
$6Mexpected losses a year
25federal declarations
1 in 250homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Jackson Parish, Louisiana has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 74% of US counties. It ranks 57th of 64 parishes in Louisiana. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and heat waves. FEMA estimates about $5.6 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $376 per resident. Since 1989 it has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (12 major disasters). The most recent was in February 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 29 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $101,000 on 20 claims here.

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.

Top risks in Jackson Parish

$2.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 years.
  • Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
  • Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.
$1.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 years.
  • Pick a shelter spot: a basement, or an inside room on the lowest floor with no windows.
  • Turn on emergency alerts on your phone and keep a weather radio.
$615,949 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 21 times a year.
  • Check that cooling works before summer.
  • Know where the nearest cooling center is.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingVery Low27.6
$2M
TornadoLow62.6
$1M
Heat waveLow71.0
$616K
Strong windModerate67.5
$586K
Ice stormHigh85.4
$401K
HurricaneLow65.4
$236K
EarthquakeVery Low48.2
$162K
LightningLow45.2
$127K
HailVery Low33.7
$89K
Cold waveVery Low11.1
$58K
Winter weatherLow25.7
$16K
WildfireVery Low30.5
$9K
LandslideVery Low30.7
$214

Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is very high and community resilience is relatively low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Jackson Parish. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane16
Flood2
Coastal Storm2
Severe Ice Storm2
Winter Storm2
Severe Storm1

Most recent

Feb 18, 2026Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 10, 2024Tropical Storm FrancineEmergency
Sep 13, 2021Tropical Storm NicholasEmergency
Aug 29, 2021Hurricane IdaMajor disaster
Aug 27, 2021Tropical Storm IdaEmergency
Mar 9, 2021Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Feb 18, 2021Severe Winter StormEmergency
Oct 27, 2020Tropical Storm ZetaEmergency
Oct 16, 2020Hurricane DeltaMajor disaster
Show all 25
Oct 7, 2020Hurricane DeltaEmergency
Sep 14, 2020Hurricane SallyEmergency
Aug 28, 2020Hurricane LauraMajor disaster
Aug 23, 2020Tropical Storms Laura and MarcoEmergency
Jun 7, 2020Tropical Storm CristobalEmergency
Mar 13, 2016Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 29, 2012Hurricane IsaacMajor disaster
Sep 2, 2008Hurricane GustavMajor disaster
Aug 29, 2008Hurricane GustavEmergency
Sep 24, 2005Hurricane RitaMajor disaster
Sep 21, 2005Hurricane RitaEmergency
Aug 29, 2005Hurricane KatrinaMajor disaster
Aug 27, 2005Hurricane KatrinaEmergency
May 3, 1991Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
May 20, 1989Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster

Louisiana also had 9 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1953

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 345 storm reports in Jackson Parish since 1953, with 5 deaths and 56 injuries and about $7.1 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on September 12, 1961.

42tornadoes
110hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
171damaging thunderstorm winds
20floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Sep 12, 1961F3–37 / 5
Jan 2, 2023EF2Wyatt3 / 0
May 16, 1953F2–2 / 0
Mar 18, 1986F2–2 / 0
Nov 7, 1986F2–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
May 8, 2019TornadoWeston$1M
Jan 2, 2023TornadoWyatt$850K
Mar 8, 2016Flash FloodClay$560K
Mar 30, 1993Thunderstorm WindWeston$500K
Apr 9, 2009TornadoVernon$500K
Mar 24, 2009TornadoJonesboro$500K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 6, 2026. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.

Hurricanes and tropical storms

Hurricane risk by county ›

Since 1865, 2 hurricanes and 14 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Jackson Parish, 10 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Laura (2020), with top winds near 85 mph about 53 miles away.

2hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
14tropical storms
2020most recent: Delta

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 27, 2020LauraCategory 1, 85 mph53 mi
Sep 21, 1909UnnamedCategory 1, 80 mph58 mi
Jun 27, 1957AudreyTropical storm, 70 mph60 mi
Sep 10, 1965BetsyTropical storm, 65 mph60 mi
Oct 13, 1886UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph59 mi
Oct 10, 2020DeltaTropical storm, 55 mph58 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 10, 2020DeltaTropical storm, 55 mph58 mi
Aug 27, 2020LauraCategory 1, 85 mph53 mi
Jul 14, 2019BarryTropical storm, 40 mph63 mi
Aug 30, 2012IsaacTropical storm, 50 mph59 mi
Sep 2, 2008GustavTropical storm, 45 mph65 mi
Oct 3, 2002LiliTropical storm, 55 mph64 mi

Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center best-track records (HURDAT2), 1851 to 2025 for the Atlantic and 1949 to 2025 for the eastern Pacific. A storm counts if its track passed within 65 miles of the county's center while it was a tropical storm or hurricane. Strength is the storm's top sustained wind at that point, not the wind measured in the county. Older storms over the open sea were sometimes missed.

Flood insurance in Jackson Parish

Check your address flood zone ›
0.4%of homes have federal flood insurance (29 policies)
32.1%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$101,000paid on 20 flood claims since 1978
1978costliest year, with $20,696 paid

National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.

Homes in Jackson Parish

$115,600median home value (Louisiana $216,500, US $332,700)
1979median year homes were built (Louisiana 1983, US 1980)
52%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
19.7%of homes are mobile homes, which are the least safe in tornadoes and high winds

Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 7,230 housing units.

Compare in Louisiana

All 64 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
East Baton Rouge ParishHighInland flooding
Jefferson ParishHighHurricane
Orleans ParishHighHurricane
St. Tammany ParishHighHurricane
Lafayette ParishHighHurricane
Caddo ParishModerateInland flooding
Calcasieu ParishHighHurricane
Ouachita ParishModerateInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Ouachita ParishModerate41
Lincoln ParishLow32
Winn ParishVery Low30
Bienville ParishVery Low33
Caldwell ParishVery Low36

Common questions about Jackson Parish

What is the biggest natural hazard in Jackson Parish?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Jackson Parish, about $2.1 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $1.3 million.

How many federal disasters has Jackson Parish had?

Jackson Parish has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1989, including 12 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in February 2026.

Is Jackson Parish a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 57th highest of 64 in Louisiana. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.

Do I need flood insurance in Jackson Parish?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 250 homes in Jackson Parish has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.

How many tornadoes has Jackson Parish had?

NOAA records list 42 tornadoes in Jackson Parish since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on September 12, 1961. The weather service has also logged 110 hail reports and 20 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Jackson Parish?

NOAA's hurricane records show 2 hurricanes and 14 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Jackson Parish. The strongest was Hurricane Laura (2020), with winds near 85 mph.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole parish, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.