Natural hazards · Fayetteville

Fayetteville, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Fayetteville comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 400 claims here since 1978. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Fayetteville?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding45%Hurricanes21%Tornadoes12%Heat waves6%Earthquakes5%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Fayetteville faces

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

Inland flooding

45% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 42% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

21% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Tornadoes

12% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 59% of U.S. places

Heat waves

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 58% of U.S. places

Recorded about 9 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 61% of U.S. places

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Fayetteville flood?

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

400paid claims since 1978

$14.7Mpaid to owners

45homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Matthew: 181 claims, $10.0M
Hurricane Florence: 87 claims, $1.7M
Mid-spring storms: 24 claims, $644K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (7) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Cumberland County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

35flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

1homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Fayetteville

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into FayettevilleDeclared for Cumberland County only

2018

Hurricane Florence

8,524 households applied for aid $3.0M aid approved $10.1M to the City of Fayetteville for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

11,389 households applied for aid $12.2M aid approved $10.0M to the City of Fayetteville for repairs

2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

1,601 households applied for aid $1.1M aid approved $2.6M to the City of Fayetteville for repairs

2004

Tropical Storm Frances

323 households applied for aid $294K aid approved

2003

Hurricane Isabel

757 households applied for aid $326K aid approved

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$256K to the City of Fayetteville for repairs

Cumberland County has had 18 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.

Around Fayetteville

Fayetteville and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Vandermostly inland floodingModerate

Eastovermostly inland floodingModerate

Spring Lakemostly inland floodingModerate

Rockfishmostly inland floodingModerate

Hope Millsmostly inland floodingModerate

Fayettevillemostly inland floodingModerate

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. Fayetteville covers 51 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Fayetteville’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Fayetteville. 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 Fayetteville total about $54.2M 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.