Natural hazards · Creswell

Creswell, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Creswell comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 5 claims here since 2003. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Creswell?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Creswell to be higher than in 96% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes.

Hurricanes79%Inland flooding11%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Creswell faces

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

Hurricanes

79% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Inland flooding

11% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 21% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Creswell flood?

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

5paid claims since 2003

$26Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

20032026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Matthew: 1 claim, $13K
Hurricane Isabel: 1 claim, $5K
Hurricane Irene: 1 claim, $2K

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

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

Insurance rates: Washington County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

9homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Creswell

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CreswellDeclared for Washington County only

2019

Hurricane Dorian

$18K to the Town of Creswell for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

65 households applied for aid $56K aid approved $27K to the Town of Creswell for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

126 households applied for aid $179K aid approved $2K to the Town of Creswell for repairs

2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Straight-Line Winds

25 households applied for aid $11K aid approved

2003

Hurricane Isabel

343 households applied for aid $243K aid approved $14K to the Town of Creswell for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$875 to the Town of Creswell for repairs

Washington 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. Creswell 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 Creswell’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Creswell. 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.