Lafayette County, Mississippi: hazard risk
FEMA rates Lafayette County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 64.4 of 100, higher than 64% of rated U.S. counties). Its storm record holds 541 events since 1950.
FEMA's rating for each hazard
These are FEMA's county-wide model ratings and this county's storm record. They are not an assessment of any property, address or building, and not insurance advice: a property's risk depends on its own elevation, construction and location.
FEMA gives each hazard its own rating, and a rating does not follow the score from one hazard to the next: a hazard with a higher score can carry a lower rating than another. The table sorts by FEMA's rating, then by score (0 to 100, the county against every other county for that hazard).
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 88.3 | $6.5M |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 87.4 | $43K |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 81.1 | $4.5M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 80.7 | $1.7M |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 75.5 | $648K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 54.5 | $664K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 88.5 | $4.5M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 61.1 | $245K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 49.5 | $88K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 47.8 | $6.5M |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 43.0 | $213K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 31.5 | $32K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 48.1 | $45K |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 13.7 | $12K |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. A model of future loss, not a count of past events. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
What the record holds
| Hazard | Records | Deaths | Damage | Rank in state | Rank in U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 189 | 2 | $1.6M | 53rd of 82 | 1214th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 113 | 0 | $62K | 32nd of 82 | 986th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 90 | 2 | – | 20th of 82 | 193rd of 3,076 |
| Winter storms | 33 | 1 | $8.0M | 23rd of 82 | 2224th of 3,077 |
| Floods | 30 | 0 | $2.1M | 50th of 82 | 1609th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 27 | 0 | – | 21st of 82 | 1087th of 3,063 |
| Tornadoes | 25 | 1 | $123M | 67th of 82 | 1306th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 12 | 0 | $193K | 24th of 82 | 1931st of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 11 | 0 | $949K | 12th of 82 | 429th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 10 | 2 | $3.0M | 13th of 82 | 1464th of 3,076 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 1 | 0 | $76K | 77th of 82 | 964th of 1,849 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Lafayette County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.