North Carolina natural disaster risk
North Carolina ranks #30 of 51 from the lowest population-weighted county-score mean in our state comparison. Its highest hazard-score means are ice storm, riverine flooding, hurricane.
RelocateMath computes these state means by weighting FEMA county scores by population. A mean of county percentiles is not a national state percentile or an official FEMA state rating.
The vertical line marks county-score scale midpoint (50).
Find your county's risk in North Carolina
All 100 county rows with a FEMA score are available below, initially ordered by population.
| County | Population | Risk score | FEMA rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wake County | 1,178,653 | 95.5 | Relatively High |
| Mecklenburg County | 1,154,681 | 97.1 | Relatively High |
| Guilford County | 547,940 | 93.4 | Relatively Moderate |
| Forsyth County | 389,977 | 91.5 | Relatively Moderate |
| Cumberland County | 338,545 | 89.5 | Relatively Moderate |
| Durham County | 332,353 | 89.6 | Relatively Moderate |
| Buncombe County | 274,360 | 89.3 | Relatively Moderate |
| Union County | 250,958 | 89.1 | Relatively Moderate |
| Cabarrus County | 236,133 | 87.1 | Relatively Moderate |
| New Hanover County | 235,229 | 96.1 | Relatively High |
| Gaston County | 234,881 | 84.9 | Relatively Moderate |
| Johnston County | 234,263 | 85.6 | Relatively Moderate |
| Onslow County | 207,906 | 95.0 | Relatively High |
| Iredell County | 196,544 | 80.8 | Relatively Low |
| Pitt County | 177,193 | 89.8 | Relatively Moderate |
| Alamance County | 176,893 | 77.1 | Relatively Low |
| Davidson County | 172,954 | 87.2 | Relatively Moderate |
| Catawba County | 163,573 | 80.6 | Relatively Low |
| Brunswick County | 152,568 | 95.8 | Relatively High |
| Rowan County | 149,875 | 82.9 | Relatively Moderate |
| Orange County | 149,678 | 79.1 | Relatively Low |
| Randolph County | 146,348 | 80.6 | Relatively Low |
| Harnett County | 139,150 | 75.3 | Relatively Low |
| Wayne County | 118,652 | 90.4 | Relatively Moderate |
| Henderson County | 118,484 | 83.8 | Relatively Moderate |
| Robeson County | 116,902 | 91.1 | Relatively Moderate |
| Moore County | 104,876 | 75.6 | Relatively Low |
| Craven County | 102,612 | 93.6 | Relatively Moderate |
| Cleveland County | 100,991 | 70.0 | Relatively Low |
| Nash County | 96,216 | 80.6 | Relatively Low |
| Lincoln County | 92,716 | 73.8 | Relatively Low |
| Rockingham County | 92,131 | 71.9 | Relatively Low |
| Burke County | 87,795 | 70.2 | Relatively Low |
| Caldwell County | 80,536 | 67.4 | Relatively Low |
| Chatham County | 80,151 | 67.2 | Relatively Low |
| Wilson County | 79,290 | 76.3 | Relatively Low |
| Franklin County | 74,386 | 51.7 | Relatively Low |
| Surry County | 71,425 | 73.6 | Relatively Low |
| Carteret County | 69,148 | 93.5 | Relatively Moderate |
| Wilkes County | 65,935 | 82.6 | Relatively Moderate |
| Lee County | 65,816 | 67.5 | Relatively Low |
| Pender County | 65,550 | 86.9 | Relatively Moderate |
| Rutherford County | 64,930 | 72.7 | Relatively Low |
| Stanly County | 64,651 | 58.8 | Relatively Low |
| Haywood County | 62,662 | 77.2 | Relatively Low |
| Granville County | 60,877 | 59.4 | Relatively Low |
| Sampson County | 59,470 | 90.2 | Relatively Moderate |
| Watauga County | 55,123 | 71.9 | Relatively Low |
| Lenoir County | 54,919 | 84.6 | Relatively Moderate |
| Hoke County | 53,835 | 50.1 | Relatively Low |
| Columbus County | 50,140 | 86.9 | Relatively Moderate |
| Duplin County | 49,335 | 89.4 | Relatively Moderate |
| Edgecombe County | 48,736 | 76.4 | Relatively Low |
| Halifax County | 47,675 | 72.9 | Relatively Low |
| Stokes County | 45,139 | 39.7 | Very Low |
| McDowell County | 44,817 | 59.2 | Relatively Low |
| Beaufort County | 44,499 | 88.2 | Relatively Moderate |
| Davie County | 44,122 | 41.7 | Very Low |
| Jackson County | 43,771 | 80.5 | Relatively Low |
| Richmond County | 42,344 | 60.8 | Relatively Low |
| Vance County | 42,322 | 48.4 | Relatively Low |
| Pasquotank County | 40,834 | 58.7 | Relatively Low |
| Person County | 39,542 | 41.5 | Very Low |
| Macon County | 37,941 | 73.8 | Relatively Low |
| Dare County | 37,875 | 89.6 | Relatively Moderate |
| Yadkin County | 37,574 | 38.4 | Very Low |
| Alexander County | 36,412 | 45.8 | Relatively Low |
| Transylvania County | 33,691 | 64.2 | Relatively Low |
| Scotland County | 33,590 | 63.6 | Relatively Low |
| Currituck County | 30,601 | 18.1 | Very Low |
| Bladen County | 29,566 | 84.6 | Relatively Moderate |
| Cherokee County | 29,562 | 56.7 | Relatively Low |
| Ashe County | 26,950 | 66.8 | Relatively Low |
| Montgomery County | 26,007 | 49.0 | Relatively Low |
| Caswell County | 22,404 | 22.4 | Very Low |
| Anson County | 22,289 | 50.0 | Relatively Low |
| Madison County | 21,867 | 27.4 | Very Low |
| Martin County | 21,644 | 65.5 | Relatively Low |
| Greene County | 20,486 | 62.6 | Relatively Low |
| Hertford County | 19,908 | 68.2 | Relatively Low |
| Polk County | 19,891 | 36.9 | Very Low |
| Yancey County | 18,797 | 42.2 | Very Low |
| Warren County | 18,795 | 50.8 | Relatively Low |
| Avery County | 17,680 | 47.5 | Relatively Low |
| Bertie County | 17,170 | 66.4 | Relatively Low |
| Northampton County | 16,931 | 44.2 | Relatively Low |
| Mitchell County | 14,992 | 24.0 | Very Low |
| Swain County | 14,013 | 49.1 | Relatively Low |
| Chowan County | 13,836 | 34.3 | Very Low |
| Perquimans County | 13,244 | 37.7 | Very Low |
| Pamlico County | 12,390 | 72.4 | Relatively Low |
| Clay County | 11,610 | 26.9 | Very Low |
| Alleghany County | 11,174 | 34.7 | Very Low |
| Camden County | 10,927 | 2.5 | Very Low |
| Washington County | 10,812 | 59.6 | Relatively Low |
| Gates County | 10,376 | 10.5 | Very Low |
| Jones County | 9,302 | 64.5 | Relatively Low |
| Graham County | 8,072 | 20.1 | Very Low |
| Hyde County | 4,592 | 66.4 | Relatively Low |
| Tyrrell County | 3,423 | 46.0 | Relatively Low |
The county rows show FEMA's own county percentile scores and rating categories; the state figures above are our weighted means. County data cannot establish a property's safety. Expected loss is modeled annual loss per resident, not a premium quote. The insurance figure is what owners with a mortgage reported paying in 2024 (Census American Community Survey), not a current quote. For a specific home, check the address on FEMA's flood map and get insurance quotes before you commit. Our guide explains how to check natural disaster risk before you move.
Lowest FEMA county risk scores in North Carolina
- Currituck County 18.1
- Caswell County 22.4
- Madison County 27.4
- Yadkin County 38.4
- Stokes County 39.7
- Person County 41.5
- Davie County 41.7
- Alexander County 45.8
Cities in North Carolina
- Charlotte, NC county-score mean 89.2
- Virginia Beach, VA county-score mean 61.5
- Raleigh, NC county-score mean 91.9
- Greensboro, NC county-score mean 88.5
- Winston-Salem, NC county-score mean 81
- Durham, NC county-score mean 80.9
- Wilmington, NC county-score mean 94.7
- Asheville, NC county-score mean 84.5
- Fayetteville, NC county-score mean 84.2
- Jacksonville, NC county-score mean 95
Frequently asked questions
Is North Carolina safe from natural disasters?
North Carolina's population-weighted county-score mean is 83.6 out of 100 (very high county-score mean), #30 of 51 from the lowest mean in our state comparison. A state average cannot show whether an individual home is safe. About 27% of residents live in counties FEMA rates relatively high or very high.
What natural disasters happen in North Carolina?
The highest population-weighted county hazard-score means in North Carolina are ice storm, riverine flooding, hurricane (means 85, 85, 84 on the 0–100 county-score scale). These are not national state percentiles.
Which counties have the lowest modeled risk scores in North Carolina?
Among counties with at least 20,000 people, the lowest FEMA county risk scores are in Currituck County, Caswell County, Madison County. Conditions vary within each county; check an individual address separately.