Natural hazards · Cary

Cary, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Cary comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 160 claims here since 1995. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Cary?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Cary to be higher than in 44% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding76%Tornadoes7%Everything else18%

By hazard

What Cary faces

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

Inland flooding

76% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 67% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

7% of expected damage

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

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

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 Cary flood?

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

160paid claims since 1995

$2.8Mpaid to owners

19homes flooded more than once

19952026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Matthew: 29 claims, $415K
Hurricane Fran: 4 claims, $33K
Hurricane Charley: 2 claims, $5K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 15% off flood insurance. Cary is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 7) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Wake County.

Disasters that hit Cary

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CaryDeclared for Wake County only

2016

Hurricane Matthew

37 households applied for aid $52K aid approved $202K to the Town of Cary for repairs

2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

14 households applied for aid

2003

Hurricane Isabel

9 households applied for aid $2K aid approved $169K to the Town of Cary for repairs

2002

Severe Ice Storm

$1.9M to the Town of Cary for repairs

2000

Severe Winter Storm

$186K to the Town of Cary for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$266K to the Town of Cary for repairs

Wake County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.

Around Cary

Cary and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Carymostly inland floodingModerate

Raleighmostly inland floodingModerate

Durhammostly inland floodingModerate

Holly Springsmostly inland floodingLow

Morrisvillemostly inland floodingLow

Apexmostly inland floodingLow

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. Cary covers 32 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Cary’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Cary. 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 Cary total about $48.6M 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.