Natural hazards · Brunswick

Brunswick, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Brunswick comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 2023. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Brunswick?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Brunswick to be higher than in 90% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes.

Hurricanes57%Inland flooding13%Strong wind8%Tornadoes8%Everything else15%

By hazard

What Brunswick faces

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

Hurricanes

57% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Inland flooding

13% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Strong wind

8% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

8% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 74% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 49 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 Brunswick flood?

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

1paid claims since 2023

$41Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20232026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Idalia: 1 claim, $41K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Brunswick 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.

Disasters that hit Brunswick

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BrunswickDeclared for Columbus County only

2018

Hurricane Florence

29 households applied for aid $27K aid approved $14K to the Town of Brunswick for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

22 households applied for aid $42K aid approved $18K to the Town of Brunswick for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

8 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

2004

Tropical Storm Frances

26 households applied for aid $20K aid approved

2003

Hurricane Isabel

36 households applied for aid $39K aid approved

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$4K to the Town of Brunswick 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. Brunswick 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 Brunswick’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Brunswick. 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.