Jones County, MS
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Jones County has experienced 33 federally declared disasters since 1969, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Jones County's highest-rated hazards are tornado, hurricane, and strong wind, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 41% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (79th percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Jones County has been designated in 33 declarations since 1969, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (16), severe storm (9), flood (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes. |
| 2022 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ida |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Zeta |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ida |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Marco And Tropical Storm Laura |
Showing the 10 most recent of 33 total declarations since 1969.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 73.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 71.5 | 75 | 0 | $3.2M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 77.7 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 84.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 93.2 | 18 | 4 | $13.5M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 91 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 81.7 | 33 | 0 | $1.8M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 89.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 64.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 66.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 72 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 82.5 | 8 | 0 | $465K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 54.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 66.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Jones County ranks in the 79th percentile (High) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 79th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 67th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 92nd | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 73rd | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 63rd | Moderate |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 75th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 71st | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 80.0% | — |
NOAA tracked 130 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 82 in 2016–20 vs 48 in 2021–25 (-41% — frequency decreasing).
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Jones County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Jones County, Mississippi are tornado, hurricane, and strong wind. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Jones County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Jones County has received 33 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (16 declarations).
Has Jones County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Jones County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Winter Storm (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1969.
How does Jones County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Forrest County, MS has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Perry County, MS has the lowest (Very Low). Jones County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Jones County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Jones County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Jones County's composite score of 80 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 80% of US counties.