Natural hazards · Caroleen

Caroleen, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Caroleen comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Caroleen?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Caroleen to be higher than in 53% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and strong winds.

Inland flooding52%Strong wind18%Tornadoes10%Everything else19%

By hazard

What Caroleen faces

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

Inland flooding

52% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 70% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Strong wind

18% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 70% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

10% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 71% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce 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 Caroleen flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Caroleen.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Rutherford County.

Disasters that hit Caroleen

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CaroleenDeclared for Rutherford County only

2024

Tropical Storm Helene

13 households applied for aid $8K aid approved

Rutherford County has had 19 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. Caroleen covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Caroleen’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to Caroleen. 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 Caroleen total about $982K 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.