Hurricane and flooding proneness in Madison or Jackson (Pearl, Pearl River: transplants, houses)

[HelenHandbasket]

Hello Everyone,

We are contemplating a move to either Jackson or Madison. We are currently in Southeast Louisiana. The recent hurricane activity is scaring us. We are transplants from the Greater New Orleans area following Katrina. I have a lot of residual anxiety from Katrina and never want to relive such trauma ever again. My heart breaks for Texas. Since it's not likely that hurricane activity and flooding are going to go away (in my lifetime), we are thinking it might be time to move. We are older and let's face it, no one is growing younger. We are concerned about growing old here and one day not being able to evacuate. We also realize that there is no place in the country that is 100% safe from natural disasters but we are at least looking to improve our chances, even if it's just 30%. There is probably a 100% chance of being hit by a hurricane and/or being flooded here in Southeast Louisiana. What are the chances of this happening in either Jackson or Madison? Does anyone know the last time there was a major flood in those cities? And when was the last time it was hit by a hurricane?

Thank you.

[GrandviewGloria]

Welcome to City-Data, Helen!

The Jackson Metro has its high spots and its low-lying areas. So, it's a matter of studying the topography, really. Yes, there was "The Great Flood of '79", which hit parts of Jackson pretty hard - but just PARTS. That was the year the term 'Fashionable Northeast Jackson' was born (because the flood affected mostly that then-trendy corner of the city, and media kept referring to the devastation in 'Fashionable Northeast Jackson', which people found amusing). Really, it was just a matter of the Pearl River overflowing, exacerbated by disruption of the river's natural flood plain. The affected area is only a tiny fraction of the Jackson Metro, though.
Madison is a 'Certified Retirement Community'. It's the richest town, in the richest county, in the state. The police are WONDERFUL, and actually respond, when you call them - without attitude. And they actually DO something about whatever problem you're having. Coming from someplace like Jackson-proper or New Orleans, it'll take a while for you, for that new reality to sink-in. Half the firemen, by the way, are calendar-worthy.

Really, the community offers the best of everything, including shopping experiences. Even the Walmart is pretty! And going to the center housing Madison's Steinmart, is like a mini-vacation in Italy (without the pickpockets, and with ample parking - much of it tree-shaded) In fact, Madison's parking lots are nicer than most of the PARKS in Mississippi's towns, since there are actually trees and shrubbery in those parking lots (greenery being something that most Mississippi parks departments view as being too labor-intensive to fool with).

If you have a private plane, charter private jets, or have friends/family who do, Madison's new airport terminal, I'm hearing, has a really low-key understated, exclusive feel - like an Old-Money private club - restrained... "Ralph Lauren Country Collection"... Lots of extremely wealthy people fly in and out of that airport, particularly during hunting season. Even Madison's Longhorn Steakhouse has that 'Posh Private Club' feeling - a first, apparently, for that chain. Hopefully, the new terminal will be finished, next time WE fly in. Can't wait to make my entrance...

If you 'fly commercial', Jackson's International Airport (in another county, and nowhere near Jackson-proper) is very pleasant, and easily reached. It offers a decent number of connections to major hubs.

The downside would be that Madison people keep to themselves. But it's nothing like the Penny-Loafers-without-socks type of snobbery you'll encounter in 'Old Metairie'. The vibe is more like Mandeville-Covington, before Katrina: where the nicest, smartest, highest-achieving, most POLITE people in the metro lived - the ones who'd had it with the problems and dissipations of the city, and who were looking for something new, wholesome, and different. People in Madison are busy, and most studied very hard in school, work very hard at their professions, were born into social networks which demand too much of their "free" time, and simply don't have TIME. But that can be a GOOD thing.

You can go for weeks, in Madison, without seeing anyone smoking, or drinking. And the women who've never fried anything, IN THEIR LIVES, tend to live in Madison (As a former Madisonian, my daughter is one of those, and I, quite frankly, must have fried SOMETHING - at some point - but have no actual memory of having done so). It's a Pearl White Lexus/Mercedes/BMW SUV kind of town, full of valedictorians/workaholics/super-achievers. And that pretty-much describes the retirees, too.

Lots of posh docs/clinics/workout facilities have moved out that way. Really, Madison offers the resort-like vibe of Mandeville - but with a Southern accent.

Speaking of Resort-like, there are several planned communities on the Reservoir (horrible-sounding name, but it's actually a big, beautiful man-made lake). I'll start you off at Roses Bluff, which is older, and has a wide range of price points (300k, into the millions). It's gated, enjoys a peninsular microclimate, is high-on-a-bluff, so offers great views, and is adjacent the Yacht Club: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ro...!4d-90.0718088 Then, there's The Town of Lost Rabbit, at the edge of Madison, which is intimidatingly tasteful, IMHO. Unless you 'went Greek' in college, I don't think you'll like it any more than do I. But it's gorgeous, if you're a Chi Omega married to a Kappa Alpha who went to law school at LSU. The water views are spectacular: http://lostrabbitdrb.com/index.html
If you like Rosemary Beach, you'll like Lost Rabbit. Roses Bluff, though, has houses by finer architects, old enough that some are bargains. Brett Favre's archchitect did a great house in Roses Bluff, as did Dickie Scruggs's (https://www.amazon.com/Fall-House-Ze.../dp/0307460711) architect - who did eight or ten great houses there. https://static1.squarespace.com/stat...2492/KTCC3.jpg This one for a salt dome heiress.

Yes, there are plenty of tornadoes. And yes, there are snakes GALORE. But those are minor things, and not too threatening, really. Oh, and since the schools are not full of problem-children, taxes in Madison don't have to be jacked-up-sky-high, in order to throw money at them. The schools, by the way, are among the absolute best in the state.

Oh, and Jackson was - technically - "hit" by Katrina. It blew down a few trees and fences, but that's about all. And the power went out, for a couple of days. Hurricanes peter out, before they get that far inland. And obviously, there's NO STORM SURGE - not even POSSIBLE...

[golden eagles fan]

Usually, the Jackson area gets hit by hurricanes once they're much weaker. We did get steady rain from Harvey Friday, but that was pretty much it. Katrina caught us off guard because no one knew it would get that bad so far inland.

The last major floods here were in 1979 and 1983.

[HelenHandbasket]

Gloria,

Thank you so much for that very detailed and helpful description of Jackson and Madison. So well written! It gave me a chuckle, too!!! I laughed out loud about the description of Old Metairie! But your narrative of Jackson and Madison really helped me to get the vibe of these two cities. It’s been many years since I’ve been to Jackson, and I’m not sure if I’ve ever been to Madison. If I have, I don’t remember it at all. I must say that I am intrigued by Madison. Hearing that the people there are those who have studied hard in school and work hard at their jobs really resonated with me. My kind of people! :-)

You made a good point that one really must study the topography to know which parts are prone to flooding, etc. That’s the same situation here. I am currently in Flood Zone X and that’s the best flood zone to be in if you’re going to be in one; however, there are subdivisions down the road from me that are in Flood Zones A and C. So, yes, once we have an idea of where we’d like to settle, we will need to survey the area. Sounds like we need to make a day trip. And thank you for letting me know where the airport is!

Thank you for providing those links! That book about Dickie Scruggs sounds pretty interesting, huh?!

Thanks again, Gloria! The information you have provided is invaluable. I am copying it and pasting it onto a document so that I will have it for reference. I greatly appreciate your help!

Golden eagles fan---thank you for your reply! I hear ya about Katrina catching you off guard! It did the same to us! A lesson I never want to repeat. I am trying to be proactive and find a safer place to live. I just hope (and pray!) that Hurricane Irma doesn’t beat me to it. I am hoping that it will somehow weaken and eventually dissipate. I don’t want to see anyone get hit by this beast. It will be devastating ☹