Natural hazards · Hillsborough

Hillsborough, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Hillsborough comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 9 claims here since 1996. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Hillsborough?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Hillsborough to be higher than in 48% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding69%Tornadoes9%Hurricanes6%Everything else17%

By hazard

What Hillsborough faces

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

Inland flooding

69% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 68% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

9% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 58% of U.S. places

Hurricanes

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 74% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 10 years in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Hillsborough flood?

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

9paid claims since 1996

$805Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19962026

Biggest named events

2025 July TS Chantal: 5 claims, $789K
Hurricane Fran: 2 claims, $6K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Orange County.

Disasters that hit Hillsborough

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into HillsboroughDeclared for Orange County only

2025

Tropical Depression Chantal

$1.2M to the Town of Hillsborough for repairs

2018

Hurricane Florence

17 households applied for aid $3K aid approved $25K to the Town of Hillsborough for repairs

2014

Severe Winter Storm

$127K to the Town of Hillsborough for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

2 households applied for aid

2002

Severe Ice Storm

$147K to the Town of Hillsborough for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$3K to the Town of Hillsborough for repairs

Orange 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. Hillsborough covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Hillsborough’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Hillsborough. 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 Hillsborough total about $1.6M 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.