Flood Help Guide

Mississippi flood insurance and flood history

From FEMA's flood insurance and disaster data · Updated 2026-10-08

64,589NFIP flood claims since 1978
$3.1 billionPaid on those claims
$33,518Average paid claimlast 10 years
3.5%Homes with NFIP flood insurance
29Flood disaster declarationssince 2000

FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data lists 64,589 flood insurance claims in Mississippi since 1978. The NFIP paid $3.1 billion on them (building, contents and Increased Cost of Compliance payments, in the dollars of the year paid).

The year with the most claims was 2005, with 19,764, mostly from Hurricane Katrina.

In the last ten years (2017–2026) there were 4,732 claims, and the average paid claim was $33,518.

26% of the claims with a recorded flood zone came from buildings outside FEMA's high-risk zones (rated zones B, C and X).

About 3.5% of homes in Mississippi had an NFIP flood policy in FEMA's latest count (40,942 of 1,163,888 residential buildings). In the high-risk flood zones (Special Flood Hazard Areas), it was 33% (28,904 of 88,283).

Since 2000, FEMA has made 29 flood-related disaster declarations covering parts of Mississippi. The most recent was DR-4930-MS (Tropical Storm Arthur), declared August 3, 2026.

Flood insurance claims in Mississippi by year

NFIP flood claims per year in Mississippi, 1978 to 202605k10k15k20k1978: 178 claims, $321,787 paid1979: 2,776 claims, $25.5 million paid1980: 2,102 claims, $6.5 million paid19801981: 225 claims, $527,670 paid1982: 951 claims, $3.3 million paid1983: 5,558 claims, $47.4 million paid1984: 784 claims, $3.1 million paid1985: 1,164 claims, $4.0 million paid1986: 114 claims, $283,328 paid1987: 581 claims, $6.0 million paid1988: 145 claims, $641,609 paid1989: 287 claims, $1.1 million paid1990: 1,147 claims, $9.3 million paid19901991: 1,752 claims, $12.1 million paid1992: 153 claims, $528,050 paid1993: 591 claims, $6.0 million paid1994: 683 claims, $4.8 million paid1995: 1,557 claims, $16.6 million paid1996: 273 claims, $1.5 million paid1997: 938 claims, $11.4 million paid1998: 4,406 claims, $53.3 million paid1999: 260 claims, $2.5 million paid2000: 154 claims, $728,180 paid20002001: 1,011 claims, $11.8 million paid2002: 2,236 claims, $20.0 million paid2003: 1,066 claims, $19.2 million paid2004: 307 claims, $3.2 million paid2005: 19,764 claims, $2.5 billion paid2006: 100 claims, $2.1 million paid2007: 81 claims, $744,352 paid2008: 1,900 claims, $31.1 million paid2009: 801 claims, $14.2 million paid2010: 197 claims, $5.8 million paid20102011: 1,358 claims, $54.4 million paid2012: 2,381 claims, $45.5 million paid2013: 489 claims, $11.0 million paid2014: 312 claims, $5.7 million paid2015: 176 claims, $2.5 million paid2016: 899 claims, $21.6 million paid2017: 694 claims, $19.4 million paid2018: 374 claims, $11.4 million paid2019: 651 claims, $19.7 million paid2020: 1,410 claims, $26.6 million paid20202021: 794 claims, $22.0 million paid2022: 188 claims, $5.6 million paid2023: 78 claims, $1.7 million paid2024: 106 claims, $2.4 million paid2025: 76 claims, $2.5 million paid2026: 361 claims, $14.2 million paid
NFIP claims per year by year of loss. Hover or tap a bar for the count and amount paid. 2026 is partial.
Show as a table
YearClaimsPaid
2026361$14.2 million
202576$2.5 million
2024106$2.4 million
202378$1.7 million
2022188$5.6 million
2021794$22.0 million
20201,410$26.6 million
2019651$19.7 million
2018374$11.4 million
2017694$19.4 million
2016899$21.6 million
2015176$2.5 million
2014312$5.7 million
2013489$11.0 million
20122,381$45.5 million
20111,358$54.4 million
2010197$5.8 million
2009801$14.2 million
20081,900$31.1 million
200781$744,352
2006100$2.1 million
200519,764$2.5 billion
2004307$3.2 million
20031,066$19.2 million
20022,236$20.0 million
20011,011$11.8 million
2000154$728,180
1999260$2.5 million
19984,406$53.3 million
1997938$11.4 million
1996273$1.5 million
19951,557$16.6 million
1994683$4.8 million
1993591$6.0 million
1992153$528,050
19911,752$12.1 million
19901,147$9.3 million
1989287$1.1 million
1988145$641,609
1987581$6.0 million
1986114$283,328
19851,164$4.0 million
1984784$3.1 million
19835,558$47.4 million
1982951$3.3 million
1981225$527,670
19802,102$6.5 million
19792,776$25.5 million
1978178$321,787

Biggest flood events by NFIP payments

The flood events FEMA's claims data names most often for Mississippi, ranked by what the NFIP paid. FEMA names events in its claims records; claims without an event name aren't included here.

EventYearClaimsPaid
Hurricane Katrina200519,051$2.5 billion
Mid-spring storms2011926$46.5 million
Hurricane Georges19983,187$45.4 million
Hurricane Isaac20122,198$43.0 million
Flooding19833,098$32.7 million
Flooding19791,154$17.0 million
Tropical Storm Isidore20021,685$16.4 million
Hurricane Gustav20081,224$15.3 million
Late winter severe storms2016537$14.4 million
2026-06-Arthur-TS2026286$12.1 million

Flood history by county

Every Mississippi county in FEMA's data, sorted by number of NFIP claims since 1978. "Insured" is the share of homes with an NFIP policy.

CountyClaimsPaidInsuredFlood declarations
Harrison County15,939$1.3 billion14.4%2
Jackson County11,325$720.7 million18.6%2
Hancock County9,927$745.6 million33.1%3
Hinds County4,716$70.8 million2.8%5
Warren County2,690$35.6 million1.7%9
Washington County1,955$37.0 million6.5%8
Forrest County1,755$12.8 million1.8%4
Wilkinson County1,394$18.7 million1.0%6
Lowndes County1,186$7.2 million2.5%2
Madison County1,003$10.1 million1.9%4
Bolivar County994$21.7 million2.5%7
Rankin County978$20.9 million2.3%2
Pearl River County828$18.1 million2.6%4
Marion County685$7.3 million1.3%7
Tunica County449$4.9 million2.4%6
Leflore County443$4.4 million5.1%5
Yazoo County410$7.8 million2.9%8
Lamar County399$5.9 million1.2%4
Humphreys County343$3.9 million3.1%6
Coahoma County333$6.8 million1.3%8
Grenada County320$3.7 million1.7%6
Lauderdale County292$4.4 million1.1%2
DeSoto County280$6.7 million0.8%5
Quitman County253$2.3 million3.1%7
Jones County248$2.5 million0.8%5
Simpson County246$2.6 million0.6%5
Sharkey County238$2.8 million6.0%6
Walthall County233$2.9 million0.6%5
Claiborne County223$2.9 million0.5%7
Sunflower County191$1.7 million1.4%6
Pike County190$4.3 million0.3%3
Adams County187$1.4 million0.3%3
Lee County174$3.9 million0.8%6
Monroe County148$1.4 million2.1%5
Issaquena County127$2.0 million10.5%8
Perry County123$1.7 million0.6%5
Clay County121$1.3 million1.6%7
Holmes County117$1.4 million0.4%10
Tallahatchie County102$766,5841.1%6
Panola County87$1.2 million0.6%8
Clarke County80$1.3 million1.1%6
Lincoln County75$514,2950.2%4
Covington County71$936,6960.7%7
Alcorn County67$4.3 million0.4%4
George County67$436,2680.8%4
Jefferson County67$851,8110.1%4
Stone County55$1.8 million0.4%2
Leake County54$981,9940.4%7
Wayne County53$849,9450.3%8
Greene County45$651,0430.4%6
Oktibbeha County44$678,0641.7%4
Lawrence County43$671,8670.7%6
Yalobusha County39$363,8290.2%2
Calhoun County38$807,2400.6%5
Tate County38$1.5 million0.4%4
Copiah County37$239,0570.3%2
Scott County36$1.1 million0.5%5
Lafayette County31$736,6910.7%5
Winston County28$544,6690.3%2
Attala County26$455,4660.2%5
Amite County24$194,5340.0%3
Webster County24$108,5630.1%4
Union County19$503,8250.1%4
Tishomingo County18$269,3860.2%4
Choctaw County17$154,7810.4%5
Carroll County16$268,4430.3%6
Noxubee County15$155,4530.2%3
Jasper County13$112,3740.3%5
Marshall County13$226,7360.1%4
Franklin County12$98,7300.1%2
Newton County12$120,5930.1%5
Smith County11$78,3810.1%6
Neshoba County9$58,4930.3%5
Tippah County7$36,7520.1%5
Jefferson Davis County6$5,0250.1%8
Benton County3$7980.1%4
Chickasaw County3$8,1700.1%6
Itawamba County3$51,6490.2%7
Pontotoc County3$48,1370.1%3
Prentiss County2$46,0110.1%8
Kemper County0$00.1%3
Montgomery County0$00.2%6

Flood-related FEMA disaster declarations in Mississippi

Declarations since 2000 that FEMA lists as involving flooding. "Help for individuals" means FEMA's Individual Assistance was approved for at least part of the area.

DeclarationDeclaredEventHelp for individuals
DR-4930-MS Aug 3, 2026 Tropical Storm Arthur Yes
DR-4922-MS Jun 30, 2026 Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding Yes
DR-4874-MS May 21, 2025 Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding Yes
DR-4790-MS Jun 10, 2024 Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding Yes
DR-4551-MS Jul 9, 2020 Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding No
DR-4538-MS Apr 23, 2020 Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides No
DR-4536-MS Apr 16, 2020 Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding Yes
DR-4478-MS Mar 12, 2020 Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding No
DR-4470-MS Dec 6, 2019 Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding No
DR-4450-MS Jun 20, 2019 Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding No
DR-4429-MS Apr 23, 2019 Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding Yes
DR-4415-MS Feb 14, 2019 Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornado No
DR-4314-MS May 22, 2017 Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding No
DR-4295-MS Jan 25, 2017 Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding Yes
DR-4268-MS Mar 25, 2016 Severe Storms and Flooding Yes
DR-4248-MS Jan 4, 2016 Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding Yes
DR-4175-MS Apr 30, 2014 Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding Yes
DR-4101-MS Feb 13, 2013 Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding Yes
DR-1983-MS May 11, 2011 Flooding Yes
EM-3320-MS May 4, 2011 Flooding No
DR-1972-MS Apr 29, 2011 Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Associated Flooding Yes
DR-1916-MS May 14, 2010 Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding Yes
DR-1906-MS Apr 29, 2010 Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding Yes
DR-1837-MS May 12, 2009 Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes No
DR-1753-MS May 8, 2008 Severe Storms and Flooding Yes

Showing the 25 most recent of 29.

What to do with this

A county's history doesn't tell you your own building's risk. To see your property's flood zone, use FEMA's flood map lookup. To weigh coverage, start with do I need flood insurance? and what flood insurance costs.

Where these numbers come from

All figures on this page are calculated from FEMA's public OpenFEMA datasets:

FEMA's redacted claims data doesn't identify properties, and FEMA notes that some records lack a county or flood zone. See how we use the data.