Natural hazards · Grifton

Grifton, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Grifton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 66 claims here since 1996. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Grifton?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Grifton to be higher than in 71% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding39%Hurricanes34%Tornadoes13%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Grifton faces

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

Inland flooding

39% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

34% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 91% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Tornadoes

13% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 76% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 72 years in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingHailIce 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 Grifton flood?

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

66paid claims since 1996

$2.6Mpaid to owners

9homes flooded more than once

19962026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Matthew: 21 claims, $1.4M
Hurricane Floyd: 18 claims, $840K
Hurricane Florence: 9 claims, $104K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Pitt County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

493flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

6flood-prone homes bought out and moved

1homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Grifton

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into GriftonDeclared for Pitt County only

2018

Hurricane Florence

332 households applied for aid $161K aid approved $125K to the Town of Grifton for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

617 households applied for aid $773K aid approved $158K to the Town of Grifton for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

330 households applied for aid $275K aid approved $276K to the Town of Grifton for repairs

2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $2K aid approved

2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Straight-Line Winds

28 households applied for aid $28K aid approved

2003

Hurricane Isabel

77 households applied for aid $66K aid approved $24K to the Town of Grifton for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$1.7M to the Town of Grifton for repairs

Pitt County has had 22 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. Grifton 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 Grifton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Grifton. 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.