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Stone County, Mississippi

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

Relatively Low overall risk
39th of 82highest risk in Mississippi
$13Mexpected losses a year
29federal declarations
1 in 250homes with flood insurance
Photo: CC0

Stone County, Mississippi has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 52% of US counties. It ranks 39th of 82 counties in Mississippi. The costliest hazards here are hurricanes, inland flooding and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $13 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $686 per resident. Since 1969 it has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (17 major disasters). The most recent was in August 2026 (Tropical Storm Arthur). Only 26 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $1.8 million on 55 claims here, including $1.3 million for floods in 2026.

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

Top risks in Stone County

Hurricane

Moderate
$6.8 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 4 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.
$2.3 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.
$1.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
HurricaneModerate91.1
$7M
Inland floodingVery Low26.7
$2M
TornadoLow54.7
$1M
WildfireLow84.3
$482K
LightningModerate75.3
$447K
DroughtModerate68.1
$344K
Heat waveLow52.1
$305K
Strong windLow38.3
$291K
Cold waveLow26.9
$267K
HailLow37.6
$120K
EarthquakeVery Low34.6
$79K
Ice stormLow28.4
$21K
Winter weatherVery Low16.4
$10K
LandslideVery Low31.3
$252

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 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 Stone County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane23
Winter Storm2
Tornado1
Snowstorm1
Severe Storm1
Tropical Storm1

Most recent

Aug 3, 2026Tropical Storm ArthurMajor disaster
Feb 6, 2026Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Oct 22, 2021Hurricane IdaMajor disaster
Aug 28, 2021Hurricane IdaEmergency
Dec 31, 2020Hurricane ZetaMajor disaster
Oct 28, 2020Hurricane ZetaEmergency
Oct 8, 2020Hurricane DeltaEmergency
Sep 14, 2020Hurricane SallyEmergency
Aug 23, 2020Hurricane Marco and Tropical Storm LauraEmergency
Show all 29
Nov 22, 2017Hurricane NateMajor disaster
Oct 7, 2017Hurricane NateEmergency
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
Aug 28, 2005Hurricane KatrinaEmergency
Jul 10, 2005Hurricane DennisMajor disaster
Sep 15, 2004Hurricane IvanMajor disaster
Oct 1, 2002Tropical Storm IsidoreMajor disaster
Oct 1, 1998Hurricane GeorgesMajor disaster
Sep 28, 1998Hurricane GeorgesEmergency
Sep 4, 1985Hurricane ElenaMajor disaster
Sep 13, 1979Hurricane FredericMajor disaster
Feb 22, 1977Drought & FreezingEmergency
Feb 22, 1971Storms & TornadoesMajor disaster
Aug 18, 1969Hurricane CamilleMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1953

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 193 storm reports in Stone County since 1953, with 1 death and 19 injuries and about $1.7 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on April 4, 1953.

22tornadoes
32hail reports, largest 2 inches
87damaging thunderstorm winds
46floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 4, 1953F2–0 / 0
Nov 3, 1968F2–3 / 0
Dec 25, 2012EF2Dean Griffin Mem Arp0 / 0
Sep 2, 1985F1–0 / 0
Sep 4, 2011EF1Ten Mile1 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Sep 2, 1985Tornado–$250K
Jun 22, 1996Thunderstorm WindWiggins$100K
Sep 4, 2011TornadoTen Mile$100K
Jul 24, 2017Flash FloodBond$100K
Sep 30, 2012TornadoPerry$60K
Mar 7, 1995Thunderstorm WindWiggins$50K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Mar 11, 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 1852, 20 hurricanes and 33 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Stone County, 18 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Camille (1969), with top winds near 175 mph about 38 miles away.

20hurricanes
8major hurricanes (Category 3+)
33tropical storms
2021most recent: Claudette

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 18, 1969CamilleCategory 5, 175 mph38 mi
Aug 29, 2005KatrinaCategory 3, 125 mph64 mi
Sep 13, 1979FredericCategory 3, 120 mph63 mi
Jul 5, 1916UnnamedCategory 3, 120 mph63 mi
Sep 16, 1855UnnamedCategory 3, 120 mph65 mi
Sep 2, 1985ElenaCategory 3, 115 mph57 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Jun 19, 2021ClaudetteTropical storm, 40 mph61 mi
Oct 28, 2020ZetaCategory 2, 100 mph62 mi
Sep 5, 2018GordonTropical storm, 70 mph62 mi
Oct 8, 2017NateCategory 1, 80 mph57 mi
Aug 29, 2005KatrinaCategory 3, 125 mph64 mi
Jul 6, 2005CindyTropical storm, 55 mph64 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 Stone County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.4%of homes have federal flood insurance (26 policies)
16.9%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$1.8 millionpaid on 55 flood claims since 1978
2026costliest year, with $1.3 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 Stone County

$161,100median home value (Mississippi $169,800, US $332,700)
1996median year homes were built (Mississippi 1986, US 1980)
27%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
21.3%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; 7,670 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
Harrison CountyHigh35
Jackson CountyModerate34
Forrest CountyLow30
Pearl River CountyModerate35
Hancock CountyModerate31
George CountyLow32
Perry CountyVery Low31

Common questions about Stone County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Stone County?

Hurricane has the highest expected yearly losses in Stone County, about $6.8 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $2.3 million.

How many federal disasters has Stone County had?

Stone County has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1969, including 17 major disasters. The most recent was Tropical Storm Arthur in August 2026.

Is Stone County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 39th 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 Stone County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 250 homes in Stone 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 Stone County had?

NOAA records list 22 tornadoes in Stone County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on April 4, 1953. The weather service has also logged 32 hail reports and 46 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Stone County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 20 hurricanes and 33 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Stone County, including 8 major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was Hurricane Camille (1969), with winds near 175 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.