Natural hazards · Caswell Beach

Caswell Beach, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Caswell Beach comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 101 claims here since 1989. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Caswell Beach?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Caswell Beach to be higher than in 97% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes.

Hurricanes70%Inland flooding14%Coastal flooding12%Everything else4%

By hazard

What Caswell Beach faces

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

Hurricanes

70% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Inland flooding

14% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 31% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Coastal flooding

12% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

DroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Caswell Beach flood?

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

101paid claims since 1989

$1.6Mpaid to owners

13homes flooded more than once

19892026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Florence: 29 claims, $673K
Hurricane Floyd: 13 claims, $268K
Tropical Cyclone Eight: 10 claims, $159K

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 10% off flood insurance. Caswell Beach is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 8) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Brunswick County.

Disasters that hit Caswell Beach

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Caswell BeachDeclared for Brunswick County only

2020

Hurricane Isaias

$99K to the Town of Caswell Beach for repairs

2018

Hurricane Florence

4 households applied for aid $142K to the Town of Caswell Beach for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

$20K to the Town of Caswell Beach for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$11K to the Town of Caswell Beach for repairs

2008

Tropical Storm Hanna

$5K to the Town of Caswell Beach for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$32K to the Town of Caswell Beach for repairs

Brunswick County has had 26 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.

Around Caswell Beach

Caswell Beach and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Caswell Beachmostly hurricanesVery high

Oak Islandmostly hurricanesVery high

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. Caswell Beach covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Caswell Beach’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Caswell Beach. 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 Caswell Beach total about $1.7M 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.