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–Not graded
Natural hazards in Soso · FEMA

Storms, floods and disasters in Soso

Soso isn’t graded for hazard risk: Soso has 431 residents; we grade towns of 1,000 or more.

Flood claims
0
paid since 1978 · $0
Disasters paid out here
4
of 25 declared for Jones County
By hazard

What Soso faces

Each hazard’s share of the building damage FEMA expects here, and how its rate compares with the rest of the country.

River and rain flooding

45%of expected building damage
Below average · lower than 73% of U.S. census tracts
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

23%of expected building damage
Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. census tracts
Recorded about once every 8 years in the area

Tornadoes

20%of expected building damage
Well above average · in the top 2% of U.S. census tracts
Recorded about once every 16 years in the area
Smaller shares here
 Hail Earthquakes Strong wind Ice storms Wildfire Cold waves Lightning Winter storms Heat waves Landslides
FEMA models no building damage here
Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Shares are of FEMA’s expected building damage, the measure the grade uses; ranks compare each hazard’s building-damage rate with all 85,154 U.S. census tracts. In FEMA’s terms, river and rain flooding is FEMA’s “Inland Flooding” (rivers and streams overflowing their banks, or rain overwhelming drainage). FEMA defines coastal flooding as high or rising tides and storm surge, so surge damage is counted there. Drought isn’t listed: FEMA counts its losses in crops only.

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.
Flood insurance claims

Does Soso flood? No paid flood claims on record

FEMA’s records show no paid flood insurance claims in Soso. That’s not a promise: most homes don’t carry flood insurance, so small floods go unrecorded.

of homes in flood zones are insured
of all homes are insured
No community discount

Soso isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Jones County.
What’s been done with FEMA grants
3storm safe rooms built
Disasters

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money to Soso

Disasters that paid out in Soso itself (aid to households or repair grants to the Town of Soso), newest first, with that year’s flood claims.

  1. 2020Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, and Flooding251 households applied for aid$737K aid approved$62K to the Town of Soso for repairs
  2. 2016Severe Storms and Flooding2 households applied for aid$258 aid approved
  3. 2012Hurricane Isaac2 households applied for aid$876 aid approved
  4. 2005Hurricane Katrina920 households applied for aid$931K aid approved$20K to the Town of Soso for repairs
Disasters declared, by decade
Paid out in SosoJones County only

Jones County has had 25 natural disasters declared by the President since 1953, most often hurricanes and tropical storms, then severe storms.

Were you here?

Old photos of Soso after a storm or flood belong in the town’s history. Add one, or share what you remember below.

Add to the Soso archive →
Be ready

Get ready for what Soso faces

A short kit for the hazards that drive the building damage here, what to check before you buy, and where neighbors get alerts.

When the river rises
  • Turn around at flooded roads: a foot of moving water can carry off a car.
  • Flood insurance usually takes 30 days to start, so buy it before the forecast.
  • Keep papers and medicines up high, in a grab-and-go bag.
More from Ready.gov ↗
Hurricane season
  • The season runs June through November and peaks from mid-August to mid-October.
  • Bring in porch furniture and anything the wind can throw.
  • Fill the gas tank and charge phones before the storm arrives.
More from Ready.gov ↗
Tornado warnings
  • Pick your spot now: the lowest floor, an inside room, no windows.
  • A watch means be ready; a warning means take cover now.
  • Keep shoes and a flashlight by the bed.
More from Ready.gov ↗
Before you buy or rent
  • Look up the address on FEMA’s flood map.
  • Ask the seller or landlord whether it has ever flooded, and what flood insurance costs there.
  • Get a flood insurance quote early: policies usually start 30 days after you buy.
When a storm is coming
Forecast and alertsWeather →911, the nearest ERSafety →

Know where neighbors sign up for alerts? Add it to the Handbook so everyone has it.

Questions about natural hazards in Soso

Is Soso in a flood zone?

Flood zones are drawn street by street, so the answer depends on the address: look it up on FEMA’s flood map. In Jones County, 10% of homes in mapped flood zones carry federal flood insurance, and 0.8% of all homes do.

How much is flood insurance in Soso?

FEMA’s Community Rating System list shows no discount for Soso’s flood program. Premiums depend on the building; policies usually start 30 days after you buy, so get a quote early.

What was the biggest storm in Soso?

By FEMA money that reached Soso, Hurricane Katrina (2005): 920 households applied for aid, $931K approved, and $20K to the Town of Soso for repairs.

Storm stories

Memories, warnings and help from neighbors in Soso.

Town Square →
Start the conversation

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), census-tract table, combined by where Soso’s residents lived in the 2020 census; OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. Preparedness tips: Ready.gov. FEMA’s model is an average of expected damage, not a forecast. How hazard risk is graded.