Natural hazards · Holly Ridge

Holly Ridge, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Holly Ridge comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 5 claims here since 1996. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Holly Ridge?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Holly Ridge to be higher than in 99% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes.

Hurricanes81%Inland flooding10%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Holly Ridge faces

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

Hurricanes

81% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Inland flooding

10% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 35% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce 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 Holly Ridge flood?

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

5paid claims since 1996

$92Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19962026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Florence: 2 claims, $42K
Hurricane Irene: 1 claim, $7K
Hurricane Floyd: 1 claim, $11K

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

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

Insurance rates: Onslow County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Holly Ridge

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Holly RidgeDeclared for Onslow County only

2018

Hurricane Florence

771 households applied for aid $402K aid approved $220K to the Town of Holly Ridge for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

14 households applied for aid $8K aid approved

2011

Hurricane Irene

19 households applied for aid $14K aid approved $12K to the Town of Holly Ridge for repairs

2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Straight-Line Winds

18 households applied for aid $43K aid approved

2005

Hurricane Ophelia

$4K to the Town of Holly Ridge for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

23 households applied for aid $29K aid approved $3K to the Town of Holly Ridge for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$37K to the Town of Holly Ridge for repairs

1999

Hurricane Dennis

$6K to the Town of Holly Ridge for repairs

Onslow County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe 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. Holly Ridge 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 Holly Ridge’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Holly Ridge. 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.