Natural hazards · Canton

Canton, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Canton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 101 claims here since 1983. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Canton?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Canton to be higher than in 65% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding57%Cold waves26%Everything else17%

By hazard

What Canton faces

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

Inland flooding

57% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

26% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 52% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHeat 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 Canton flood?

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

101paid claims since 1983

$9.1Mpaid to owners

13homes flooded more than once

19832026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Helene: 27 claims, $2.9M
Tropical Storm Fred: 23 claims, $3.1M
Tropical Storm Ivan: 17 claims, $677K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Haywood County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

81flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

6homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Canton

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CantonDeclared for Haywood County only

2024

Tropical Storm Helene

3,669 households applied for aid $13.0M aid approved $3.8M to the Town of Canton for repairs

2021

Remnants of Tropical Storm Fred

931 households applied for aid $3.2M aid approved $7.9M to the Town of Canton for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storms and Flooding

$41K to the Town of Canton for repairs

2004

Hurricane Ivan

623 households applied for aid $2.0M aid approved $455K to the Town of Canton for repairs

2004

Tropical Storm Frances

334 households applied for aid $1.5M aid approved $752K to the Town of Canton for repairs

Haywood County has had 18 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. Canton 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 Canton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Canton. 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.