Hinds County, Mississippi
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Hinds County, Mississippi has a moderate overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 94% of US counties. It ranks 2nd of 82 counties in Mississippi. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and hail. FEMA estimates about $117 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $513 per resident. Since 1969 it has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (17 major disasters). The most recent was in February 2026 (severe winter storm). About 1 in 36 homes here carry federal flood insurance (2,255 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $71 million on 4,716 claims here, including $22 million for floods in 1983.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Hinds County
- 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.
- 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.
- Ask about the roof age and any impact-rated shingles.
- Check your home policy for a separate wind and hail deductible.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 95.1 | $56M | ||
| Tornado | 98.2 | $19M | ||
| Hail | 99.3 | $13M | ||
| Heat wave | 97.1 | $7M | ||
| Cold wave | 89.8 | $5M | ||
| Earthquake | 90.9 | $5M | ||
| Strong wind | 98.1 | $4M | ||
| Hurricane | 86.4 | $3M | ||
| Ice storm | 95.8 | $1M | ||
| Lightning | 94.0 | $1M | ||
| Drought | 80.5 | $719K | ||
| Winter weather | 92.2 | $358K | ||
| Wildfire | 54.6 | $46K | ||
| Landslide | 78.3 | $10K |
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 very high in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Hinds County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 24
Mississippi also had 11 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1950
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 1,443 storm reports in Hinds County since 1950, with 60 deaths and 626 injuries and about $503 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F5 tornado on March 3, 1966.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 3, 1966 | F5 | – | 504 / 57 |
| Feb 26, 1958 | F3 | – | 0 / 1 |
| Apr 15, 2011 | EF3 | Raymond Williams Arp | 10 / 0 |
| Mar 4, 1989 | F3 | – | 5 / 0 |
| Jan 28, 1974 | F3 | – | 5 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 18, 2013 | Hail | Orange Hill | $200M |
| Mar 18, 2013 | Hail | Smiths | $75M |
| Apr 4, 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cynthia | $60M |
| Apr 4, 2008 | Tornado | Longaloo | $40M |
| Mar 3, 1966 | Tornado | – | $25M |
| Apr 6, 2003 | Flash Flood | Jackson | $20M |
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 1860, 2 hurricanes and 20 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Hinds County, 9 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Camille (1969), with top winds near 100 mph about 62 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 18, 1969 | Camille | Category 2, 100 mph | 62 mi |
| Aug 20, 1888 | Unnamed | Category 1, 75 mph | 55 mi |
| Sep 2, 1879 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 60 mi |
| Oct 3, 1860 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 65 mi |
| Sep 30, 1915 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 63 mi |
| Jul 6, 1916 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 65 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 30, 2021 | Ida | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 59 mi |
| Oct 10, 2020 | Delta | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 62 mi |
| Sep 26, 2002 | Isidore | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 48 mi |
| Aug 26, 1992 | Andrew | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 65 mi |
| Jul 11, 1979 | Bob | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 57 mi |
| Sep 16, 1971 | Edith | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 59 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 Hinds County
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 Hinds County
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; 106,340 housing units.
Compare in Mississippi
All 82 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Hinds County | Inland flooding | |
| Harrison County | Hurricane | |
| DeSoto County | Earthquake | |
| Rankin County | Inland flooding | |
| Jackson County | Hurricane | |
| Madison County | Inland flooding | |
| Lee County | Inland flooding | |
| Forrest County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Rankin County | 22 | |
| Madison County | 24 | |
| Warren County | 31 | |
| Copiah County | 26 | |
| Yazoo County | 29 | |
| Simpson County | 28 | |
| Claiborne County | 27 |
Cities in Hinds County
Common questions about Hinds County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Hinds County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Hinds County, about $56.4 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $19 million.
How many federal disasters has Hinds County had?
Hinds County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1969, including 17 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in February 2026.
Is Hinds County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Moderate, 2nd highest of 82 in Mississippi. 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 Hinds County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 36 homes in Hinds County 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 Hinds County had?
NOAA records list 127 tornadoes in Hinds County since 1950. The strongest was an F5 tornado on March 3, 1966. The weather service has also logged 331 hail reports and 205 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Hinds County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 2 hurricanes and 20 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Hinds County. The strongest was Hurricane Camille (1969), with winds near 100 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 county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.