Natural hazards · Benson

Benson, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Benson comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 2016. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Benson?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Benson to be higher than in 18% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding40%Tornadoes19%Hurricanes12%Strong wind5%Everything else25%

By hazard

What Benson faces

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

Inland flooding

40% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 23% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

19% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 63% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 85 years in the area

Hurricanes

12% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 73% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Strong wind

5% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Benson flood?

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

2paid claims since 2016

$76Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20162026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Matthew: 1 claim, $69K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Johnston County.

Disasters that hit Benson

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BensonDeclared for Johnston County only

2018

Hurricane Florence

116 households applied for aid $74K aid approved $11K to the Town of Benson for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

228 households applied for aid $330K aid approved $988K to the Town of Benson for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

3 households applied for aid $402 aid approved $27K to the Town of Benson for repairs

2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

100 households applied for aid $181K aid approved $17K to the Town of Benson for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

9 households applied for aid $10K aid approved

2002

Severe Ice Storm

$57K to the Town of Benson for repairs

2000

Severe Winter Storm

$2K to the Town of Benson for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$143K to the Town of Benson for repairs

Johnston County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.

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. Benson covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Benson’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Benson. 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 Benson total about $1.4M 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.