Lincoln County, Mississippi
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Lincoln County, Mississippi has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 52% of US counties. It ranks 46th of 82 counties in Mississippi. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and hurricanes. FEMA estimates about $11 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $314 per resident. Since 1965 it has been included in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (21 major disasters). The most recent was in June 2026 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). Only 35 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $514,000 on 75 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Lincoln 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.
- 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.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 42.5 | $4M | ||
| Tornado | 78.5 | $3M | ||
| Hurricane | 79.6 | $1M | ||
| Heat wave | 81.6 | $1M | ||
| Strong wind | 71.5 | $716K | ||
| Hail | 68.8 | $373K | ||
| Earthquake | 58.6 | $296K | ||
| Cold wave | 27.8 | $262K | ||
| Lightning | 59.6 | $232K | ||
| Drought | 51.7 | $114K | ||
| Ice storm | 58.8 | $89K | ||
| Wildfire | 62.2 | $69K | ||
| Winter weather | 12.4 | $7K | ||
| Landslide | 43.9 | $621 |
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 Lincoln County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 30
Mississippi also had 11 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1955
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 582 storm reports in Lincoln County since 1955, with 5 deaths and 35 injuries and about $30.5 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on January 10, 1975.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 10, 1975 | F4 | – | 9 / 5 |
| Dec 2, 1967 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 21, 1972 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 12, 1986 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 6, 2003 | F2 | Caseyville | 6 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 5, 2004 | Flash Flood | Countywide | $3M |
| Jan 10, 1975 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Apr 12, 1986 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Apr 6, 2003 | Tornado | Caseyville | $1M |
| Feb 22, 2008 | Flash Flood | Thayer | $1M |
| Apr 4, 2011 | Tornado | Ruth | $1M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 1, 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, 7 hurricanes and 27 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Lincoln County, 15 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Camille (1969), with top winds near 125 mph about 64 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 18, 1969 | Camille | Category 3, 125 mph | 64 mi |
| Aug 29, 2005 | Katrina | Category 2, 95 mph | 65 mi |
| Sep 2, 1985 | Elena | Category 1, 85 mph | 57 mi |
| Sep 1, 1879 | Unnamed | Category 1, 80 mph | 55 mi |
| Aug 20, 1888 | Unnamed | Category 1, 80 mph | 55 mi |
| Sep 30, 1915 | Unnamed | Category 1, 75 mph | 65 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 12, 2024 | Francine | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 58 mi |
| Aug 30, 2021 | Ida | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 58 mi |
| Jun 8, 2020 | Cristobal | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 55 mi |
| Aug 29, 2005 | Katrina | Category 2, 95 mph | 65 mi |
| Jul 1, 2003 | Bill | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 58 mi |
| Sep 26, 2002 | Isidore | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 47 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 Lincoln 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 Lincoln 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; 15,966 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Pike County | 32 | |
| Copiah County | 26 | |
| Walthall County | 27 | |
| Amite County | 27 | |
| Lawrence County | 31 | |
| Franklin County | 23 | |
| Jefferson County | 24 |
Common questions about Lincoln County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Lincoln County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Lincoln County, about $3.7 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $2.6 million.
How many federal disasters has Lincoln County had?
Lincoln County has been included in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1965, including 21 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in June 2026.
Is Lincoln County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 46th 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 Lincoln County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 500 homes in Lincoln 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 Lincoln County had?
NOAA records list 67 tornadoes in Lincoln County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on January 10, 1975. The weather service has also logged 169 hail reports and 51 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Lincoln County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 7 hurricanes and 27 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Lincoln County, including 1 major hurricane (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was Hurricane Camille (1969), with winds near 125 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.