Natural hazards · Jackson

Jackson, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Jackson comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 2004. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Jackson?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Jackson to be higher than in 25% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes29%Inland flooding26%Drought19%Tornadoes11%Everything else15%

By hazard

What Jackson faces

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

Hurricanes

29% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Inland flooding

26% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 15% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Drought

19% of expected damage

Recorded about 9 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

11% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 72% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 30 years in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

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 Jackson flood?

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

1paid claims since 2004

$76Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20042026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Ivan: 1 claim, $76K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Northampton County.

Disasters that hit Jackson

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into JacksonDeclared for Northampton County only

2016

Hurricane Matthew

29 households applied for aid $51K aid approved

2011

Hurricane Irene

98 households applied for aid $49K aid approved $47K to the Town of Jackson for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

175 households applied for aid $118K aid approved $30K to the Town of Jackson for repairs

2000

Severe Winter Storm

$2K to the Town of Jackson for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$39K to the Town of Jackson for repairs

Northampton 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. Jackson 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 Jackson’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Jackson. 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.