Natural hazards · Hamlet

Hamlet, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Hamlet comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 2016. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Hamlet?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Hamlet to be higher than in 42% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding37%Tornadoes23%Hurricanes14%Earthquakes6%Strong wind6%Everything else15%

By hazard

What Hamlet faces

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

Inland flooding

37% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 37% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

23% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places

Hurricanes

14% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Earthquakes

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 67% of U.S. places

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Hamlet flood?

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

3paid claims since 2016

$77Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20162026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Matthew: 2 claims, $35K
Hurricane Florence: 1 claim, $42K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Richmond County.

Disasters that hit Hamlet

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into HamletDeclared for Richmond County only

2018

Hurricane Florence

385 households applied for aid $103K aid approved

2016

Hurricane Matthew

43 households applied for aid $6K aid approved $18K to the City of Hamlet for repairs

2002

Severe Ice Storm

$13K to the City of Hamlet for repairs

2000

Severe Winter Storm

$87K to the City of Hamlet for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$9K to the City of Hamlet for repairs

Richmond County has had 15 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. Hamlet 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 Hamlet’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Hamlet. 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.