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Lincoln County, Mississippi

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

Relatively Low overall risk
46th of 82highest risk in Mississippi
$11Mexpected losses a year
30federal declarations
1 in 500homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

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

$3.7 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • 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.

Tornado

Moderate
$2.6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 1 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.
$1.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 7 years.
  • 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow42.5
$4M
TornadoModerate78.5
$3M
HurricaneLow79.6
$1M
Heat waveModerate81.6
$1M
Strong windModerate71.5
$716K
HailLow68.8
$373K
EarthquakeVery Low58.6
$296K
Cold waveLow27.8
$262K
LightningModerate59.6
$232K
DroughtLow51.7
$114K
Ice stormLow58.8
$89K
WildfireVery Low62.2
$69K
Winter weatherVery Low12.4
$7K
LandslideVery Low43.9
$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

Hurricane14
Severe Storm6
Flood3
Tornado3
Winter Storm2
Snowstorm1

Most recent

Jun 30, 2026Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 6, 2026Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Oct 22, 2021Hurricane IdaMajor disaster
Aug 28, 2021Hurricane IdaEmergency
May 4, 2021Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Oct 8, 2020Hurricane DeltaEmergency
Sep 14, 2020Hurricane SallyEmergency
Aug 23, 2020Hurricane Marco and Tropical Storm LauraEmergency
Mar 25, 2016Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 30
Aug 29, 2012Hurricane IsaacMajor disaster
Aug 28, 2012Tropical Storm IsaacEmergency
May 12, 2009Severe Storms, Flooding, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Sep 22, 2008Hurricane GustavMajor disaster
Aug 30, 2008Hurricane GustavEmergency
Aug 29, 2005Hurricane KatrinaMajor disaster
Sep 15, 2004Hurricane IvanMajor disaster
Apr 24, 2003Severe Storms, Tornadoes, FloodsMajor disaster
Oct 1, 2002Tropical Storm IsidoreMajor disaster
Feb 23, 2001Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Nov 25, 1992Severe Storms, High Winds & TornadoesMajor disaster
Feb 28, 1990Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 22, 1977Drought & FreezingEmergency
Jan 30, 1975TornadoesMajor disaster
Jan 18, 1975TornadoesEmergency
Apr 18, 1974Heavy Rains & FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 27, 1973Heavy Rains, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 19, 1972Heavy Rains & FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 18, 1969Hurricane CamilleMajor disaster
Sep 25, 1965Hurricane BetsyMajor disaster

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.

67tornadoes
169hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
286damaging thunderstorm winds
51floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jan 10, 1975F4–9 / 5
Dec 2, 1967F3–0 / 0
Apr 21, 1972F3–0 / 0
Apr 12, 1986F2–0 / 0
Apr 6, 2003F2Caseyville6 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Feb 5, 2004Flash FloodCountywide$3M
Jan 10, 1975Tornado–$3M
Apr 12, 1986Tornado–$3M
Apr 6, 2003TornadoCaseyville$1M
Feb 22, 2008Flash FloodThayer$1M
Apr 4, 2011TornadoRuth$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.

7hurricanes
1major hurricanes (Category 3+)
27tropical storms
2024most recent: Francine

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 18, 1969CamilleCategory 3, 125 mph64 mi
Aug 29, 2005KatrinaCategory 2, 95 mph65 mi
Sep 2, 1985ElenaCategory 1, 85 mph57 mi
Sep 1, 1879UnnamedCategory 1, 80 mph55 mi
Aug 20, 1888UnnamedCategory 1, 80 mph55 mi
Sep 30, 1915UnnamedCategory 1, 75 mph65 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 12, 2024FrancineTropical storm, 50 mph58 mi
Aug 30, 2021IdaTropical storm, 70 mph58 mi
Jun 8, 2020CristobalTropical storm, 40 mph55 mi
Aug 29, 2005KatrinaCategory 2, 95 mph65 mi
Jul 1, 2003BillTropical storm, 45 mph58 mi
Sep 26, 2002IsidoreTropical storm, 55 mph47 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 ›
0.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (35 policies)
16.3%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$514,295paid on 75 flood claims since 1978
1979costliest year, with $129,101 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 Lincoln County

$155,800median home value (Mississippi $169,800, US $332,700)
1984median year homes were built (Mississippi 1986, US 1980)
45%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
25.4%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; 15,966 housing units.

Compare in Mississippi

All 82 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Hinds CountyModerateInland flooding
Harrison CountyHighHurricane
DeSoto CountyModerateEarthquake
Rankin CountyModerateInland flooding
Jackson CountyModerateHurricane
Madison CountyModerateInland flooding
Lee CountyModerateInland flooding
Forrest CountyLowInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Pike CountyLow32
Copiah CountyLow26
Walthall CountyVery Low27
Amite CountyLow27
Lawrence CountyVery Low31
Franklin CountyVery Low23
Jefferson CountyVery Low24

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.