Natural hazards · Elon

Elon, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Elon comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 8 claims here since 2003. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Elon?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Elon to be higher than in 43% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding68%Tornadoes11%Hurricanes6%Everything else16%

By hazard

What Elon faces

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

Inland flooding

68% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 63% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

11% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 56% of U.S. places

Hurricanes

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 73% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 10 years in the area

Lower here

HailIce 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 Elon flood?

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

8paid claims since 2003

$138Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

20032026

Biggest named events

2025 July TS Chantal: 1 claim, $432

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

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

Insurance rates: Alamance County.

Disasters that hit Elon

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ElonDeclared for Alamance County only

2018

Tropical Storm Michael

$16K to the Town of Elon for repairs

2014

Severe Winter Storm

$189K to the Town of Elon for repairs

2004

Hurricane Ivan

1 household applied for aid

2003

Ice Storm

$16K to the Town of Elon for repairs

2002

Severe Ice Storm

$23K to the Town of Elon for repairs

Alamance County has had 23 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.

Around Elon

Elon and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Elonmostly inland floodingModerate

Gibsonvillemostly inland floodingLow

Glen Ravenmostly inland floodingLow

Burlingtonmostly 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. Elon covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Elon’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Elon. 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 Elon total about $1.6M 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.