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Madison County, Mississippi

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

Relatively Moderate overall risk
11th of 82highest risk in Mississippi
$54Mexpected losses a year
24federal declarations
1 in 53homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Madison County, Mississippi has a moderate overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 82% of US counties. It ranks 11th of 82 counties in Mississippi. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $54 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $498 per resident. Since 1969 it has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (18 major disasters). The most recent was in February 2026 (severe winter storm). About 1 in 53 homes here carry federal flood insurance (650 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $10 million on 1,003 claims here.

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

Top risks in Madison County

$20 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 3 times 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.
$15.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • 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.

Cold wave

Moderate
$7.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingModerate76.8
$20M
TornadoHigh95.8
$15M
Cold waveModerate88.5
$7M
Heat waveModerate88.7
$3M
HailModerate88.5
$2M
HurricaneLow77.7
$2M
Strong windModerate77.0
$1M
EarthquakeLow74.5
$1M
LightningModerate81.6
$899K
Ice stormHigh85.8
$733K
DroughtModerate71.9
$678K
Winter weatherModerate73.1
$176K
WildfireVery Low53.9
$68K
LandslideVery Low50.7
$2K

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 very high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Madison County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm12
Hurricane9
Winter Storm2
Snowstorm1

Most recent

Feb 6, 2026Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Jun 10, 2024Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 12, 2023Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes.Major disaster
Oct 22, 2021Hurricane IdaMajor disaster
Aug 28, 2021Hurricane IdaEmergency
Oct 8, 2020Hurricane DeltaEmergency
Apr 30, 2014Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 29, 2012Hurricane IsaacMajor disaster
Aug 28, 2012Tropical Storm IsaacEmergency
Show all 24
Aug 30, 2008Hurricane GustavEmergency
Aug 29, 2005Hurricane KatrinaMajor disaster
Jul 10, 2005Hurricane DennisMajor disaster
Apr 24, 2003Severe Storms, Tornadoes, FloodsMajor disaster
Dec 7, 2001Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 23, 2001Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
May 17, 1991Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 3, 1991Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 28, 1990Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 1, 1983Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 16, 1979Storms, Tornadoes, FloodsMajor disaster
Feb 22, 1977Drought & FreezingEmergency
Apr 1, 1976Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 18, 1969Hurricane CamilleMajor disaster

Mississippi also had 11 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1952

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 834 storm reports in Madison County since 1952, with 13 deaths and 223 injuries and about $126 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on March 29, 1976.

78tornadoes
164hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
462damaging thunderstorm winds
114floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Mar 29, 1976F4–177 / 3
Nov 24, 2001F4Madison21 / 2
Feb 26, 1958F3–12 / 6
Dec 21, 1990F3–0 / 0
Nov 11, 1995F3–2 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 6, 2003Flash FloodCountywide$50M
Mar 29, 1976Tornado–$25M
Nov 24, 2001TornadoMadison$12M
May 19, 1983Tornado–$3M
Dec 21, 1990Tornado–$3M
Apr 6, 2003HailMadison$2M

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 12, 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, 1 hurricane and 22 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Madison County, 7 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Camille (1969), with top winds near 95 mph about 60 miles away.

1hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
22tropical storms
2021most recent: Ida

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 18, 1969CamilleCategory 1, 95 mph60 mi
Aug 20, 1888UnnamedTropical storm, 70 mph58 mi
Aug 29, 2005KatrinaTropical storm, 70 mph58 mi
Sep 27, 1906UnnamedTropical storm, 65 mph63 mi
Sep 2, 1879UnnamedTropical storm, 65 mph58 mi
Jul 6, 1916UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph65 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 30, 2021IdaTropical storm, 45 mph58 mi
Oct 10, 2020DeltaTropical storm, 35 mph65 mi
Aug 29, 2005KatrinaTropical storm, 70 mph58 mi
Sep 26, 2002IsidoreTropical storm, 50 mph57 mi
Aug 4, 1995ErinTropical storm, 40 mph59 mi
Sep 17, 1971EdithTropical storm, 50 mph63 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 Madison County

Check your address flood zone ›
1.9%of homes have federal flood insurance (650 policies)
27.6%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$10.1 millionpaid on 1,003 flood claims since 1978
2017costliest year, with $2 million 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 Madison County

$311,100median home value (Mississippi $169,800, US $332,700)
1997median year homes were built (Mississippi 1986, US 1980)
24%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
4.3%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; 47,440 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
Hinds CountyModerate24
Rankin CountyModerate22
Scott CountyLow20
Yazoo CountyLow29
Leake CountyLow25
Attala CountyVery Low21
Holmes CountyLow28

Cities in Madison County

Common questions about Madison County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Madison County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Madison County, about $20 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $15.3 million.

How many federal disasters has Madison County had?

Madison County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1969, including 18 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in February 2026.

Is Madison County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Moderate, 11th 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 Madison County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 53 homes in Madison 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 Madison County had?

NOAA records list 78 tornadoes in Madison County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on March 29, 1976. The weather service has also logged 164 hail reports and 114 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Madison County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 1 hurricane and 22 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Madison County. The strongest was Hurricane Camille (1969), with winds near 95 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.