Natural hazards · Hickory

Hickory, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Hickory comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 42 claims here since 1993. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Hickory?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Hickory to be higher than in 31% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding61%Tornadoes12%Earthquakes9%Everything else17%

By hazard

What Hickory faces

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

Inland flooding

61% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 46% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

12% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 63% of U.S. places

Earthquakes

9% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 69% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat 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 Hickory flood?

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

42paid claims since 1993

$1.0Mpaid to owners

5homes flooded more than once

19932026

Biggest named events

October severe storms: 1 claim, $2K
Hurricane Eta: 1 claim, $18K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Catawba County.

Disasters that hit Hickory

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into HickoryDeclared for Catawba County only

2024

Tropical Storm Helene

3,471 households applied for aid $2.7M aid approved $2.2M to the City of Hickory for repairs

2013

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides

$996K to the City of Hickory for repairs

2004

Tropical Storm Frances

14 households applied for aid $31K aid approved

2002

Severe Ice Storm

$96K to the City of Hickory for repairs

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

Around Hickory

Hickory and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Northlakesmostly inland floodingHigh

Hickorymostly inland floodingLow

Brookfordmostly inland floodingLow

Mountain Viewmostly inland floodingLow

Granite Fallsmostly inland floodingLow

St. Stephensmostly inland floodingLow

Conovermostly inland floodingVery low

Newtonmostly inland floodingVery low

Long Viewmostly inland floodingVery low

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. Hickory covers 9 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Hickory’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Hickory. 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 Hickory total about $13.5M 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.