Natural hazards · Gaston

Gaston, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Gaston comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Gaston?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Gaston to be higher than in 38% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding36%Hurricanes27%Tornadoes13%Drought8%Everything else17%

By hazard

What Gaston faces

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

Inland flooding

36% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 39% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Hurricanes

27% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Tornadoes

13% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 71% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 37 years in the area

Drought

8% of expected damage

Recorded about 9 times a year in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

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 Gaston flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Gaston.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Northampton County.

Disasters that hit Gaston

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into GastonDeclared for Northampton County only

2016

Hurricane Matthew

24 households applied for aid $17K aid approved

2011

Hurricane Irene

154 households applied for aid $142K aid approved $21K to the Town of Gaston for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

265 households applied for aid $192K aid approved $9K to the Town of Gaston for repairs

2002

Severe Ice Storm

$10K to the Town of Gaston for repairs

2000

Severe Winter Storm

$798 to the Town of Gaston for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$56K to the Town of Gaston for repairs

Northampton County has had 20 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. Gaston 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 Gaston’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Gaston. 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.