Natural hazards · Jefferson

Jefferson, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Jefferson comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 7 claims here since 1996. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Jefferson?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Jefferson to be higher than in 39% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding62%Cold waves20%Strong wind7%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Jefferson faces

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

Inland flooding

62% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 64% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

20% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Strong wind

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 56% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHeat wavesDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Jefferson flood?

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

7paid claims since 1996

$382Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19962026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Helene: 1 claim, $40K

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. Jefferson isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Ashe County.

Disasters that hit Jefferson

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into JeffersonDeclared for Ashe County only

2024

Tropical Storm Helene

451 households applied for aid $1.3M aid approved $458K to the Town of Jefferson for repairs

2004

Hurricane Ivan

7 households applied for aid $10K aid approved

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