Flood zones, flood insurance and FEMA help, in plain English

North Carolina flood insurance and flood history

From FEMA's flood insurance and disaster data · Updated 2026-10-08

109,593NFIP flood claims since 1978
$2.3 billionPaid on those claims
$50,047Average paid claimlast 10 years
2.6%Homes with NFIP flood insurance
$1,010Typical yearly NFIP costsingle-family home
9Flood disaster declarationssince 2000

FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data lists 109,593 flood insurance claims in North Carolina since 1978. The NFIP paid $2.3 billion on them (building, contents and Increased Cost of Compliance payments, in the dollars of the year paid).

The year with the most claims was 2018, with 16,520, mostly from Hurricane Florence.

In the last ten years (2017–2026) there were 25,727 claims, and the average paid claim was $50,047.

19% of the claims with a recorded flood zone came from buildings outside FEMA's high-risk zones (rated zones B, C and X).

About 2.6% of homes in North Carolina had an NFIP flood policy in FEMA's latest count (106,560 of 4,056,295 residential buildings). In the high-risk flood zones (Special Flood Hazard Areas), it was 53% (60,527 of 113,606).

Since 2000, FEMA has made 9 flood-related disaster declarations covering parts of North Carolina. The most recent was DR-4837-NC (Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight), declared October 19, 2024.

Flood insurance claims in North Carolina by year

NFIP flood claims per year in North Carolina, 1978 to 202605k10k15k20k1978: 182 claims, $372,931 paid1979: 473 claims, $2.3 million paid1980: 172 claims, $1.4 million paid19801981: 187 claims, $617,775 paid1982: 361 claims, $1.1 million paid1983: 471 claims, $1.2 million paid1984: 531 claims, $1.1 million paid1985: 616 claims, $2.2 million paid1986: 356 claims, $966,449 paid1987: 845 claims, $2.5 million paid1988: 129 claims, $1.4 million paid1989: 2,137 claims, $17.1 million paid1990: 221 claims, $1.3 million paid19901991: 1,081 claims, $9.6 million paid1992: 428 claims, $2.6 million paid1993: 3,170 claims, $20.2 million paid1994: 588 claims, $4.9 million paid1995: 832 claims, $14.6 million paid1996: 12,878 claims, $189.1 million paid1997: 509 claims, $10.7 million paid1998: 5,170 claims, $28.0 million paid1999: 16,192 claims, $232.5 million paid2000: 309 claims, $4.2 million paid20002001: 231 claims, $1.3 million paid2002: 281 claims, $2.1 million paid2003: 7,276 claims, $111.8 million paid2004: 2,336 claims, $39.9 million paid2005: 2,012 claims, $21.6 million paid2006: 1,393 claims, $22.9 million paid2007: 100 claims, $1.0 million paid2008: 814 claims, $18.0 million paid2009: 822 claims, $8.6 million paid2010: 1,446 claims, $19.0 million paid20102011: 9,604 claims, $177.5 million paid2012: 993 claims, $13.2 million paid2013: 549 claims, $10.9 million paid2014: 654 claims, $6.5 million paid2015: 796 claims, $9.7 million paid2016: 6,721 claims, $219.0 million paid2017: 272 claims, $2.6 million paid2018: 16,520 claims, $653.0 million paid2019: 1,778 claims, $53.9 million paid2020: 1,821 claims, $29.7 million paid20202021: 484 claims, $18.9 million paid2022: 377 claims, $4.6 million paid2023: 317 claims, $5.6 million paid2024: 3,341 claims, $260.7 million paid2025: 698 claims, $43.7 million paid2026: 119 claims, $2.1 million paid
NFIP claims per year by year of loss. Hover or tap a bar for the count and amount paid. 2026 is partial.
Show as a table
YearClaimsPaid
2026119$2.1 million
2025698$43.7 million
20243,341$260.7 million
2023317$5.6 million
2022377$4.6 million
2021484$18.9 million
20201,821$29.7 million
20191,778$53.9 million
201816,520$653.0 million
2017272$2.6 million
20166,721$219.0 million
2015796$9.7 million
2014654$6.5 million
2013549$10.9 million
2012993$13.2 million
20119,604$177.5 million
20101,446$19.0 million
2009822$8.6 million
2008814$18.0 million
2007100$1.0 million
20061,393$22.9 million
20052,012$21.6 million
20042,336$39.9 million
20037,276$111.8 million
2002281$2.1 million
2001231$1.3 million
2000309$4.2 million
199916,192$232.5 million
19985,170$28.0 million
1997509$10.7 million
199612,878$189.1 million
1995832$14.6 million
1994588$4.9 million
19933,170$20.2 million
1992428$2.6 million
19911,081$9.6 million
1990221$1.3 million
19892,137$17.1 million
1988129$1.4 million
1987845$2.5 million
1986356$966,449
1985616$2.2 million
1984531$1.1 million
1983471$1.2 million
1982361$1.1 million
1981187$617,775
1980172$1.4 million
1979473$2.3 million
1978182$372,931

Biggest flood events by NFIP payments

The flood events FEMA's claims data names most often for North Carolina, ranked by what the NFIP paid. FEMA names events in its claims records; claims without an event name aren't included here.

EventYearClaimsPaid
Hurricane Florence201815,337$637.3 million
Hurricane Helene20242,028$219.6 million
Hurricane Matthew20165,929$204.7 million
Hurricane Floyd199912,334$199.6 million
Hurricane Fran199610,357$176.8 million
Hurricane Irene20119,337$172.7 million
Hurricane Isabel20036,456$99.6 million
2025 July TS Chantal2025316$31.6 million
Hurricane Dennis19993,449$31.0 million
Tropical Cyclone Eight2024738$30.2 million

What flood insurance costs in North Carolina

On June 30, 2026, 129,718 NFIP flood insurance policies were in force in North Carolina. For the 96,898 single-family homes among them, the typical (median) yearly cost was about $1,010; the average was $1,150.

Rated flood zonePoliciesTypical yearly cost, single-family homeAverage costAverage building coverage
High-risk zones (A and V)76,248$1,160$1,370$227,000
Moderate- and low-risk zones (B, C and X)53,468$810$880$235,000

Cost here is what FEMA's data lists as the policy cost: the premium plus the reserve fund assessment, federal policy fee and HFIAA surcharge. It covers single-family homes only (not condos, apartments or businesses), with costs rounded to the nearest $10 and shown only where at least 20 homes back the figure. Your own price depends on your building and the coverage you choose; see how flood insurance is priced. Private flood insurance isn't included.

Policies and average cost by exact flood zone
Rated zonePoliciesAverage cost, single-family home
AE65,186$1,340
X53,344$880
VE8,742$1,690
A1,096$890
AO822$1,100
AH290$890
C63$950
B61$950
A1056n/a
A0422n/a
A058n/a
A096n/a
A085n/a
AOB3n/a
A062n/a

Flood history by county

Every North Carolina county in FEMA's data, sorted by number of NFIP claims since 1978. "Insured" is the share of homes with an NFIP policy; "typical NFIP cost" is the median yearly cost for single-family homes.

CountyClaimsPaidInsuredTypical NFIP costFlood declarations
Dare County18,950$230.9 million39.7%$9402
New Hanover County11,183$187.7 million14.7%$1,0403
Brunswick County9,879$99.3 million21.5%$9603
Beaufort County9,462$131.5 million13.5%$1,0602
Carteret County8,997$128.9 million21.5%$1,2102
Craven County6,126$239.5 million11.7%$1,0103
Pender County5,889$118.1 million16.1%$1,1903
Onslow County4,432$70.7 million6.3%$9904
Pamlico County4,330$102.8 million26.2%$1,1101
Mecklenburg County2,883$61.6 million0.8%$9401
Currituck County2,007$21.9 million19.2%$1,0402
Hyde County1,734$44.8 million32.7%$9401
Wake County1,642$31.3 million0.8%$9102
Robeson County1,430$54.6 million2.6%$1,0102
Pitt County1,205$36.3 million2.3%$7903
Wayne County1,193$47.0 million1.3%$7602
Buncombe County1,192$104.1 million1.0%$9603
Lenoir County835$44.4 million1.5%$9101
Cumberland County827$24.8 million1.2%$8402
Edgecombe County795$28.2 million3.5%$9401
Nash County735$33.7 million1.4%$1,0901
Haywood County733$36.2 million2.0%$1,2402
Columbus County712$25.0 million2.2%$9601
Guilford County680$9.4 million0.4%$1,0101
Tyrrell County588$9.0 million16.6%$9403
Orange County568$36.4 million1.5%$1,1401
Duplin County542$52.1 million2.6%$8901
Pasquotank County531$6.5 million11.0%$8601
Wilson County498$12.6 million1.3%$9902
Watauga County463$16.3 million2.0%$1,2104
Durham County443$11.0 million1.3%$9901
Henderson County442$29.6 million1.0%$7401
Forsyth County440$4.7 million0.4%$1,0101
Bertie County423$13.1 million0.9%$9603
Johnston County313$11.4 million0.7%$8402
Avery County288$15.2 million1.7%$1,1104
Camden County285$3.4 million13.7%$8902
Chowan County282$6.2 million3.4%$1,1401
Cabarrus County241$5.4 million0.5%$1,1401
Catawba County210$4.9 million0.3%$1,0902
Jones County205$17.0 million4.2%$1,0902
Bladen County195$9.2 million0.9%$8402
Ashe County183$7.3 million1.1%$1,4405
Alamance County168$5.1 million0.5%$9902
Perquimans County160$975,6476.0%$1,0602
Hertford County159$3.2 million0.5%$9903
Washington County157$2.8 million3.5%$8902
Moore County154$2.9 million1.3%$8901
Transylvania County153$6.3 million1.6%$9401
Sampson County148$6.1 million0.5%$9602
Yancey County146$8.9 million1.6%$1,2104
Burke County131$11.3 million0.3%$1,2603
Rutherford County117$8.1 million0.4%$1,4402
Harnett County116$2.5 million0.7%$8602
McDowell County111$8.4 million0.7%$1,4402
Madison County110$8.8 million1.0%$1,1404
Rockingham County108$725,3480.1%$1,1401
Gaston County105$1.3 million0.4%$1,0902
Davidson County103$1.7 million0.3%$1,0601
Jackson County97$1.1 million1.2%$1,2903
Caldwell County85$1.5 million0.4%$1,3103
Greene County82$2.5 million0.7%$8602
Union County81$1.7 million0.4%$1,0901
Macon County79$2.0 million0.8%$1,2402
Polk County79$4.4 million0.8%$1,1403
Surry County72$1.2 million0.1%n/a1
Stanly County66$3.0 million0.2%$1,2402
Randolph County65$395,1810.2%$9402
Rowan County65$1.1 million0.3%$1,2101
Lee County63$1.1 million0.5%$1,2102
Iredell County60$1.1 million0.2%$1,0401
Cherokee County56$978,5170.8%$1,1402
Swain County56$1.2 million0.9%$1,5102
Cleveland County54$740,4470.1%$1,2102
Halifax County54$845,6110.3%$8602
Mitchell County50$2.7 million0.6%$1,1904
Martin County42$621,3490.5%$9402
Chatham County41$2.1 million0.7%$8901
Hoke County39$615,5850.5%$5902
Clay County35$175,2182.0%$1,5401
Northampton County34$282,5960.2%$8601
Wilkes County34$1.4 million0.1%$1,0402
Gates County26$334,3271.1%$7401
Richmond County25$318,2080.2%$9101
Franklin County23$279,0170.3%$8601
Scotland County20$560,1180.4%$8401
Stokes County18$246,6620.1%$8103
Granville County15$195,6700.2%$6601
Lincoln County15$246,4420.2%$7902
Alleghany County13$475,3890.2%n/a3
Davie County12$146,8480.3%$9901
Vance County12$174,4970.1%n/a1
Person County9$49,6520.1%n/a1
Graham County7$14,1690.8%$1,5402
Alexander County6$41,8840.1%n/a2
Montgomery County6$80,6430.1%$9401
Yadkin County6$6,1530.1%n/a2
Anson County4$21,5250.0%n/a1
Warren County4$00.2%$1,1401
Caswell County1$00.0%n/a1

Flood-related FEMA disaster declarations in North Carolina

Declarations since 2000 that FEMA lists as involving flooding. "Help for individuals" means FEMA's Individual Assistance was approved for at least part of the area.

DeclarationDeclaredEventHelp for individuals
DR-4837-NC Oct 19, 2024 Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight No
EM-3617-NC Sep 26, 2024 Hurricane Helene No
DR-4543-NC May 8, 2020 Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding No
DR-4153-NC Oct 29, 2013 Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides No
DR-4146-NC Sep 25, 2013 Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides No
DR-4103-NC Mar 1, 2013 Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides No
DR-1969-NC Apr 19, 2011 Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding Yes
DR-1942-NC Oct 14, 2010 Severe Storms, Flooding, and Straight-Line Winds Yes
DR-1871-NC Feb 2, 2010 Severe Winter Storms and Flooding No

What to do with this

A county's history doesn't tell you your own building's risk. To see your property's flood zone, use FEMA's flood map lookup. To weigh coverage, start with do I need flood insurance? and what flood insurance costs.

Where these numbers come from

All figures on this page are calculated from FEMA's public OpenFEMA datasets:

FEMA's redacted claims data doesn't identify properties, and FEMA notes that some records lack a county or flood zone. See how we use the data.