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Scott County, Mississippi

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

Relatively Low overall risk
34th of 82highest risk in Mississippi
$12Mexpected losses a year
20federal declarations
1 in 200homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Scott County, Mississippi has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 56% of US counties. It ranks 34th of 82 counties in Mississippi. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and hurricanes. FEMA estimates about $12 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $416 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (16 major disasters). The most recent was in February 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 49 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $1.1 million on 36 claims here, including $543,000 for floods in 2022.

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

Top risks in Scott County

$3.2 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
$2.3 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.

Hurricane

Moderate
$1.4 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 9 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 floodingLow42.0
$3M
TornadoModerate78.4
$2M
HurricaneModerate81.6
$1M
HailModerate90.2
$1M
Cold waveLow64.8
$1M
Strong windModerate77.7
$748K
Heat waveLow73.0
$654K
EarthquakeLow67.5
$434K
LightningModerate68.7
$295K
DroughtLow61.7
$195K
Ice stormModerate67.4
$119K
Winter weatherLow52.5
$44K
WildfireVery Low43.0
$19K
LandslideVery Low36.9
$326

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 low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Severe Storm8
Hurricane7
Winter Storm2
Snowstorm1
Tornado1
Severe Ice Storm1

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
May 4, 2021Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Dec 6, 2019Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 29, 2012Hurricane IsaacMajor disaster
Apr 29, 2011Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Associated FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 20
Aug 30, 2008Hurricane GustavEmergency
Aug 29, 2005Hurricane KatrinaMajor disaster
Jul 10, 2005Hurricane DennisMajor disaster
Sep 15, 2004Hurricane IvanMajor disaster
Apr 24, 2003Severe Storms, Tornadoes, FloodsMajor disaster
Dec 7, 2001Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 23, 2001Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Nov 25, 1992Severe Storms, High Winds & TornadoesMajor disaster
Apr 16, 1979Storms, Tornadoes, FloodsMajor disaster
Feb 22, 1977Drought & FreezingEmergency

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

Storm history since 1954

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 548 storm reports in Scott County since 1954, with 4 deaths and 29 injuries and about $87.6 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on December 2, 1967.

64tornadoes
120hail reports, largest 2.5 inches
300damaging thunderstorm winds
61floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Dec 2, 1967F4–10 / 2
Nov 22, 1992F4–0 / 0
Jan 23, 1969F4–0 / 0
Oct 17, 2012EF3Steel1 / 0
Apr 28, 2014EF3Forest3 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 6, 2003Flash FloodCountywide$50M
Mar 18, 2013HailMorton$5M
Nov 22, 1992Tornado–$3M
Aug 2, 2008Thunderstorm WindSebastopol$2M
Jan 24, 2002Thunderstorm WindCountywide$2M
Aug 2, 2008Thunderstorm WindRaworth$2M

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 18, 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 1855, 3 hurricanes and 21 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Scott County, 7 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Camille (1969), with top winds near 100 mph about 60 miles away.

3hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
21tropical storms
2021most recent: Ida

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 18, 1969CamilleCategory 2, 100 mph60 mi
Aug 29, 2005KatrinaCategory 1, 80 mph56 mi
Sep 13, 1979FredericCategory 1, 80 mph59 mi
Sep 27, 1906UnnamedTropical storm, 70 mph65 mi
Jul 6, 1916UnnamedTropical storm, 70 mph62 mi
Sep 30, 1915UnnamedTropical storm, 65 mph60 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 30, 2021IdaTropical storm, 40 mph65 mi
Aug 29, 2005KatrinaCategory 1, 80 mph56 mi
Sep 26, 2002IsidoreTropical storm, 50 mph43 mi
Aug 4, 1995ErinTropical storm, 45 mph58 mi
Sep 13, 1979FredericCategory 1, 80 mph59 mi
Sep 17, 1971EdithTropical storm, 50 mph58 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 Scott County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.5%of homes have federal flood insurance (49 policies)
15.2%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$1.1 millionpaid on 36 flood claims since 1978
2022costliest year, with $543,277 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 Scott County

$106,700median home value (Mississippi $169,800, US $332,700)
1989median year homes were built (Mississippi 1986, US 1980)
34%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
35.8%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; 11,483 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
Rankin CountyModerate22
Madison CountyModerate24
Newton CountyLow22
Leake CountyLow25
Jasper CountyVery Low25
Smith CountyLow23

Common questions about Scott County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Scott County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Scott County, about $3.2 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $2.3 million.

How many federal disasters has Scott County had?

Scott County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 16 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in February 2026.

Is Scott County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 34th 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 Scott County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 200 homes in Scott 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 Scott County had?

NOAA records list 64 tornadoes in Scott County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on December 2, 1967. The weather service has also logged 120 hail reports and 61 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Scott County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 3 hurricanes and 21 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Scott 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.