Jones County, Mississippi Natural Disaster Risk
FEMA National Risk Index assessment · MS
LowComposite Risk Score
National percentile: 80th
Jones County faces low composite natural disaster risk (NRI Risk Index score 80.2, 80th national percentile), driven primarily by tornado and hurricane exposure. Expected annual loss across all 18 hazard types is $31M.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 · Updated December 2025
Risk Overview
Overall natural disaster risk in Jones County is low, with a National Risk Index score of 80.2 out of 100 — placing it in the 80th national percentile and below the national average for natural-disaster risk. The score blends Expected Annual Loss, Social Vulnerability, and Community Resilience across all 18 FEMA hazard types.
Risk here concentrates in tornado (violently rotating columns of air capable of catastrophic local damage) at High risk — $7M in expected annual loss and about 0.86 events per year; hurricane (tropical cyclones bringing extreme wind, rain, and storm surge) at Medium risk — $7M in expected annual loss and about 0.16 events per year; and strong wind (damaging straight-line winds outside of tornadoes and hurricanes) at High risk — $1M in expected annual loss and about 3.04 events per year. Across all hazards, FEMA estimates $31M in expected annual loss for a population of 67K.
Beyond physical exposure, Jones County has a high social vulnerability rating (how susceptible the population is to harm) and a medium community resilience rating (its capacity to prepare for and recover from disasters). That combination — a more vulnerable population with limited resilience — can amplify the human cost of any given event.
History supports the rating: Jones County has received 33 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including 16 for hurricane events and 9 for severe storm events. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm (winter storm), declared in February 2026.
Among 82 Mississippi counties, Jones County ranks #14 for overall natural disaster risk.
Top Hazards
All 18 Hazard Risks
| Tornado | High | 0.86 / yr | $7M |
| Hurricane | Medium | 0.16 / yr | $7M |
| Strong Wind | High | 3.04 / yr | $1M |
| Heat Wave | Medium | 11.47 / yr | $1M |
| Lightning | High | 76.70 / yr | $607K |
| Hail | Medium | 3.78 / yr | $723K |
| Earthquake | Low | 0.00 / yr | $994K |
| Wildfire | Low | 0.00 / yr | $173K |
| Cold Wave | Medium | 0.74 / yr | $2M |
| Riverine Flood | Low | 3.14 / yr | $10M |
| Landslide | Low | 0.31 / yr | $3K |
| Ice Storm | Medium | 0.70 / yr | $133K |
| Winter Weather | Medium | 1.74 / yr | $78K |
| Drought | Low | 11.22 / yr | $145K |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Coastal Flood | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Tsunami | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
Disaster History
Jones County has received 33 federal disaster declarations since 1969, most recently Severe Winter Storm in February 2026. Most frequent causes: Hurricane (16), Severe Storm (9), Winter Storm (2).
| Declared | Type | Disaster |
|---|---|---|
| February 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| January 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| August 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes. |
| October 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ida |
| August 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ida |
| October 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Zeta |
| September 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally |
| August 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Marco and Tropical Storm Laura |
| July 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| April 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 33 declarations.
Source: FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (OpenFEMA).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the overall natural disaster risk for Jones County?
Jones County has a composite FEMA National Risk Index score of 80.2 out of 100, placing it in the Low category and the 80th national percentile. This combines Expected Annual Loss, Social Vulnerability, and Community Resilience across 18 hazard types.
What are the top natural hazards in Jones County?
The three highest-rated hazards are Tornado (High, $7M EAL), Hurricane (Medium, $7M EAL), Strong Wind (High, $1M EAL). These account for most of the county's expected annual losses.
How does Jones County compare to other Mississippi counties?
Jones County ranks #14 of 82 Mississippi counties for overall natural disaster risk, with a low rating.
How many federally declared disasters has Jones County had?
FEMA records 33 federal disaster declarations for Jones County since 1969, most often 16 for hurricane events and 9 for severe storm events. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm, declared in February 2026.
What does Expected Annual Loss (EAL) mean?
EAL is FEMA's estimate of average annual dollar losses from natural hazards, calculated from historical event data and exposure models. Jones County's $31M EAL is a statistical average, not a guarantee for any specific year or address.