Lowndes County, Mississippi · Columbus
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Lowndes County averages 3 nights a year at 20°F or colder, mostly January, and 15% of its homes predate 1960.
Heavy rain days of an inch or more come about 14.6 times a year here, most often in February. A sump pump that hasn't run since last season is a common weak point.
Sewage backups in Lowndes County spike on heavy-rain days, about 14.6 a year, when sewer mains fill up and water finds the lowest drain.
Roof leaks here come from summer downpours and, with about 39 freeze-thaw days a year, from winter ice dams. Most show up as ceiling stains in the room below.
6% of occupied homes in Lowndes County heat mainly with wood or propane, below the Mississippi county median of 15.1%.
With 119 muggy nights a year, mold in Lowndes County can appear within days of a leak. Dry first, then clean.
Local risk profile
About 57,838 people live in Lowndes County, 505 square miles in northeast Mississippi, in roughly 27,168 homes. Besides Columbus, the county seat, the biggest communities are New Hope, Caledonia and Columbus AFB. Half the homes here were built before 1981, half after.
39/100 Water Damage Risk Index: Moderate Lowndes County ranks 71 of 82 Mississippi counties. See the statewide ranking and method.The three factors where Lowndes County ranks highest compared with other Mississippi counties.
Lowndes County gets more hard-freeze nights than most of Mississippi. From 2015–2024 it averaged 3 nights a year at 20°F or colder, the range where pipes in exterior walls, crawl spaces and unheated garages freeze, and 40 nights at or below 32°F. That ranks 28th of 82 counties.
The freeze season here runs January, with January the coldest. If you travel then, leave the thermostat at 55°F or above and open sink cabinets on outside walls.
Freezing nights typically start around Nov 14 and end around Mar 13.
Lowndes gets fewer downpours than most Mississippi counties, but they still fill basements. Of roughly 55.6 inches of yearly precipitation, the damage comes from the 14.6 days a year with an inch or more, ranked 80th of 82. January, February and April see the most. The single wettest day in the record: 4.73 inches, August 31, 2021. The worst three-day stretch dropped 5.33 inches, ending February 13, 2020, the kind of soaking that overwhelms sump pumps and storm sewers.
The temperature crosses 32°F in both directions on roughly 39 days a year. Each cycle melts and refreezes water at roof edges and in foundation cracks, which is how ice dams and basement seepage get started.
Housing
Mississippi's 82 counties range widely in housing age; Lowndes ranks 33rd, with 47% of its homes built before 1980.
Housing age is mixed: 15% of homes are pre-1960 and 19% are 2000 or newer. Ask any plumber which era your house is from and you'll know which failures to watch for.
The 1980s and 1990s account for 34% of the county's homes. If yours is from those decades, look under the sinks and at the water heater for gray plastic pipe stamped PB, which is polybutylene and leak-prone.
Manufactured and mobile homes make up 12% of the housing here. Water lines in the underbelly depend on intact skirting and working heat tape, and they're usually the first to freeze in a cold snap.
Renters occupy 39% of homes. If you rent, the building is usually the landlord's to repair, but your belongings are only covered by renters insurance.
Beyond water
Lowndes County averages 119 warm, muggy nights a year (lows of 65°F or more) and gets the most rain in April. The EPA recommends keeping indoor humidity below 60%, ideally 30 to 50%. Basements can pass 60% on their own in summer, so a dehumidifier matters even without a leak, and anything wet should be dried within 24 to 48 hours.
Mold remediation: what to expectHeating fuel matters for fire risk. In Lowndes County it's 31% utility gas, 63% electric, 5% propane and under 1% wood. Heating equipment, cooking and electrical failures cause most home fires nationally. Even a small kitchen fire can leave soot through the whole house, because smoke follows air currents into closets, ducts and attic space.
Fire and smoke cleanup: first stepsCoverage
Calls connect to restoration companies that work across Lowndes County. The largest communities by population:
Population from ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Townships and unincorporated areas are covered too.
Nearby
Monroe gets more pipe-freeze nights than Lowndes. All of its neighbors see more heavy-rain days. Noxubee County has the oldest housing nearby, with 50% of homes built before 1980.
By the numbers
| Factor | Lowndes | Mississippi median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1960 | 15% | 15% | 39 of 82 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 47% | 45% | 33 of 82 |
| Homes built 2000 or later | 19% | 23% | 65 of 82 |
| Manufactured or mobile homes | 12% | 20% | 65 of 82 |
| Vacant homes | 15% | 17% | 52 of 82 |
| Wood or propane heat | 5.5% | 15% | 74 of 82 |
| Nights at 20°F or colder | 3/yr | 3/yr | 28 of 82 |
| Days with 1 inch+ of rain | 15/yr | 16/yr | 80 of 82 |
| Freeze-thaw days | 39/yr | 32/yr | 26 of 82 |
| Muggy nights (65°F+) | 119/yr | 125/yr | 51 of 82 |
Rank 1 is the highest value. Bars run from the lowest to the highest Mississippi county; the tick marks the median; orange means higher water damage risk than the median, green means lower.
Questions
Peak risk months in Lowndes County: freezing from January, heavy rain in January, February and April.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024); weather from NOAA nClimGrid-Daily county averages (EpiNOAA), 2015–2024, averaged across the county; county boundaries from Census TIGER. Reviewed 2026-10-21. Methodology