Natural hazards · Edenton

Edenton, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Edenton comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 150 claims here since 1985. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Edenton?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Edenton to be higher than in 80% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes.

Hurricanes68%Inland flooding14%Heat waves6%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Edenton faces

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

Hurricanes

68% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Inland flooding

14% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 8% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Heat waves

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 53% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold 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 Edenton flood?

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

150paid claims since 1985

$4.5Mpaid to owners

12homes flooded more than once

19852026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Isabel: 81 claims, $3.5M
Hurricane Irene: 30 claims, $429K
Hurricane Matthew: 9 claims, $244K

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

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

Insurance rates: Chowan County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

6flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

1homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Edenton

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into EdentonDeclared for Chowan County only

2020

Hurricane Isaias

$102K to the Town of Edenton for repairs

2019

Hurricane Dorian

$250K to the Town of Edenton for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

186 households applied for aid $123K aid approved $188K to the Town of Edenton for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

174 households applied for aid $92K aid approved $232K to the Town of Edenton for repairs

2005

Hurricane Ophelia

$2K to the Town of Edenton for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

2,338 households applied for aid $1.9M aid approved $1.9M to the Town of Edenton for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$208K to the Town of Edenton for repairs

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