Natural hazards · Carefree

Carefree, AZ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Carefree comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 1993. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Carefree?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Carefree to be higher than in 42% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and heat waves.

Inland flooding64%Heat waves23%Wildfire8%Everything else5%

By hazard

What Carefree faces

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

Inland flooding

64% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 64% of U.S. places

Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Heat waves

23% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Recorded about 19 times a year in the area

Wildfire

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailWinter weatherEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingIce stormsCold wavesDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

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 Carefree flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Carefree, from FEMA’s records.

2paid claims since 1993

$163Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19932026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Carefree isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Maricopa County.

Disasters that hit Carefree

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Carefree itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Town of Carefree.

Brought FEMA money into CarefreeDeclared for Maricopa County only

2014

Severe Storms and Flooding

$78K to the Town of Carefree for repairs

Maricopa County has had 23 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and floods.

Around Carefree

Carefree and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Scottsdalemostly inland floodingHigh

Cave Creekmostly inland floodingModerate

Carefreemostly inland floodingModerate

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Carefree covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Carefree’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Carefree. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Carefree total about $3.9M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); 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. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.