Natural hazards · Jacksonville

Jacksonville, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Jacksonville comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 222 claims here since 1992. 12 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Jacksonville?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

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

Hurricanes83%Inland flooding9%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Jacksonville faces

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

Hurricanes

83% 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

9% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 30% 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 Jacksonville flood?

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

222paid claims since 1992

$6.9Mpaid to owners

28homes flooded more than once

19922026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Florence: 95 claims, $4.4M
Hurricane Floyd: 25 claims, $288K
Hurricane Fran: 20 claims, $331K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (4) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 10% off flood insurance. Jacksonville is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 8) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Onslow County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

27flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Jacksonville

12 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into JacksonvilleDeclared for Onslow County only

2020

Hurricane Isaias

$564K to the City of Jacksonville for repairs

2019

Hurricane Dorian

$71K to the City of Jacksonville for repairs

2018

Hurricane Florence

11,014 households applied for aid $6.7M aid approved $7.0M to the City of Jacksonville for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

222 households applied for aid $78K aid approved

2011

Hurricane Irene

771 households applied for aid $380K aid approved $732K to the City of Jacksonville for repairs

2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

261 households applied for aid $447K aid approved $29K to the City of Jacksonville for repairs

2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Straight-Line Winds

193 households applied for aid $205K aid approved

2010

Hurricane Earl

$8K to the City of Jacksonville for repairs

2005

Hurricane Ophelia

$58K to the City of Jacksonville for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

153 households applied for aid $81K aid approved $208K to the City of Jacksonville for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$519K to the City of Jacksonville for repairs

1999

Hurricane Dennis

$23K to the City of Jacksonville for repairs

Onslow County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Jacksonville

Jacksonville and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Jacksonvillemostly hurricanesVery high

Piney Greenmostly hurricanesVery high

Half Moonmostly hurricanesVery high

Pumpkin Centermostly hurricanesVery high

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. Jacksonville covers 16 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Jacksonville’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Jacksonville. 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 Jacksonville total about $73.9M 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.