Livingston Parish, Louisiana
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Livingston Parish, Louisiana has a relatively high overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 94% of US counties. It ranks 7th of 64 parishes in Louisiana. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, hurricanes and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $166 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $1,165 per resident. Since 1965 it has been included in 49 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (32 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). About 1 in 4 homes here carry federal flood insurance (13,708 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $834 million on 14,639 claims here, including $736 million for floods in 2016.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Livingston Parish
- 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.
- Know your evacuation zone and route before June 1.
- Ask about roof age, shutters and the separate wind or hurricane deductible on your home policy.
- 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.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 94.9 | $76M | ||
| Hurricane | 97.6 | $62M | ||
| Tornado | 95.7 | $13M | ||
| Cold wave | 84.5 | $5M | ||
| Heat wave | 92.2 | $4M | ||
| Coastal flooding | 79.8 | $2M | ||
| Lightning | 88.4 | $1M | ||
| Strong wind | 59.2 | $737K | ||
| Hail | 75.7 | $735K | ||
| Drought | 67.8 | $467K | ||
| Earthquake | 57.5 | $415K | ||
| Ice storm | 76.2 | $320K | ||
| Wildfire | 56.8 | $72K | ||
| Winter weather | 30.4 | $31K | ||
| Landslide | 24.7 | $193 |
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 relatively low and community resilience is relatively moderate in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Livingston Parish. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 49
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 385 storm reports in Livingston Parish since 1953, with 4 deaths and 34 injuries and about $1.9 billion in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on February 6, 1953.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 6, 1953 | F3 | – | 21 / 2 |
| Feb 7, 2017 | EF3 | Weiss | 3 / 0 |
| Nov 29, 1977 | F2 | – | 2 / 0 |
| Jun 8, 1989 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 23, 2016 | EF2 | Livingston | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 13, 2016 | Flood | Weiss | $1.3B |
| Aug 12, 2016 | Flash Flood | Weiss | $576M |
| Feb 6, 1953 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Aug 1, 1983 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Mar 10, 2016 | Flash Flood | Weiss | $2M |
| Dec 17, 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Watson To | $700K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 16, 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 1856, 21 hurricanes and 31 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Livingston Parish, 25 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Ida (2021), with top winds near 130 mph about 63 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 29, 2021 | Ida | Category 4, 130 mph | 63 mi |
| Sep 1, 1879 | Unnamed | Category 3, 115 mph | 60 mi |
| Sep 10, 1965 | Betsy | Category 3, 115 mph | 64 mi |
| Sep 21, 1909 | Unnamed | Category 3, 110 mph | 58 mi |
| Oct 28, 2020 | Zeta | Category 2, 105 mph | 59 mi |
| Sep 19, 1947 | Unnamed | Category 2, 100 mph | 55 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 11, 2024 | Francine | Category 1, 85 mph | 63 mi |
| Aug 29, 2021 | Ida | Category 4, 130 mph | 63 mi |
| Jun 19, 2021 | Claudette | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 53 mi |
| Oct 28, 2020 | Zeta | Category 2, 105 mph | 59 mi |
| Jun 8, 2020 | Cristobal | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 55 mi |
| Aug 29, 2012 | Isaac | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 62 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 Livingston Parish
Check your address flood zone ›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 Livingston Parish
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; 59,981 housing units.
Compare in Louisiana
All 64 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| East Baton Rouge Parish | Inland flooding | |
| Jefferson Parish | Hurricane | |
| Orleans Parish | Hurricane | |
| St. Tammany Parish | Hurricane | |
| Lafayette Parish | Hurricane | |
| Caddo Parish | Inland flooding | |
| Calcasieu Parish | Hurricane | |
| Ouachita Parish | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| East Baton Rouge Parish | 44 | |
| Tangipahoa Parish | 45 | |
| Ascension Parish | 55 | |
| St. John the Baptist Parish | 43 | |
| St. Helena Parish | 37 |
Common questions about Livingston Parish
What is the biggest natural hazard in Livingston Parish?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Livingston Parish, about $75.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hurricane is second at $61.8 million.
How many federal disasters has Livingston Parish had?
Livingston Parish has been included in 49 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1965, including 32 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.
Is Livingston Parish a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively High, 7th 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 Livingston Parish?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 4 homes in Livingston 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 Livingston Parish had?
NOAA records list 43 tornadoes in Livingston Parish since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on February 6, 1953. The weather service has also logged 82 hail reports and 30 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Livingston Parish?
NOAA's hurricane records show 21 hurricanes and 31 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Livingston Parish, including 4 major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was Hurricane Ida (2021), with winds near 130 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.