Natural hazards · Henderson

Henderson, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Henderson comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 6 claims here since 2002. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Henderson?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Henderson to be higher than in 22% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding52%Tornadoes14%Hurricanes10%Cold waves6%Heat waves6%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Henderson faces

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

Inland flooding

52% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 32% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Tornadoes

14% of expected damage

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

Hurricanes

10% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 7 years in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 75% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Heat waves

6% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 41% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Henderson flood?

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

6paid claims since 2002

$83Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20022026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Ivan: 1 claim, $3K
Hurricane Cindy: 1 claim, $1K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Vance County.

Disasters that hit Henderson

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into HendersonDeclared for Vance County only

2018

Tropical Storm Michael

$40K to the City of Henderson for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

31 households applied for aid $2K aid approved $29K to the City of Henderson for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

72 households applied for aid $44K aid approved $96K to the City of Henderson for repairs

2002

Severe Ice Storm

$456K to the City of Henderson for repairs

2000

Severe Winter Storm

$54K to the City of Henderson for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$14K to the City of Henderson for repairs

Vance 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. Henderson covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Henderson’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Henderson. 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 Henderson total about $2.8M 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.