Natural hazards · Bolton

Bolton, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Bolton comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 2020. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Bolton?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Bolton to be higher than in 92% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes49%Inland flooding20%Strong wind11%Tornadoes6%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Bolton faces

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

Hurricanes

49% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Inland flooding

20% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 60% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Strong wind

11% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

6% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 17 years 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 Bolton flood?

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

1paid claims since 2020

$28Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20202026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Isaias: 1 claim, $28K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Columbus County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

6flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

1homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Bolton

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BoltonDeclared for Columbus County only

2018

Hurricane Florence

311 households applied for aid $224K aid approved $31K to the Town of Bolton for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

188 households applied for aid $39K aid approved $41K to the Town of Bolton for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

31 households applied for aid $7K aid approved $21K to the Town of Bolton for repairs

2004

Tropical Storm Frances

96 households applied for aid $150K aid approved

2003

Hurricane Isabel

134 households applied for aid $96K aid approved

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$32K to the Town of Bolton for repairs

Columbus 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. Bolton is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

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

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.