Natural hazards · Knightdale

Knightdale, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Knightdale comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 1999. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Knightdale?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Knightdale to be higher than in 19% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding64%Tornadoes9%Heat waves7%Hurricanes6%Hail6%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Knightdale faces

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

Inland flooding

64% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 33% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

9% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 52% of U.S. places

Heat waves

7% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 30% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 67% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Hail

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

Ice stormsWinter weatherCold 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 Knightdale flood?

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

3paid claims since 1999

$31Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19992026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Floyd: 2 claims, $17K
Hurricane Matthew: 1 claim, $14K

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

Insurance rates: Wake County.

Disasters that hit Knightdale

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into KnightdaleDeclared for Wake County only

2016

Hurricane Matthew

47 households applied for aid $25K aid approved $51K to the Town of Knightdale for repairs

2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

7 households applied for aid $8K aid approved

2003

Hurricane Isabel

16 households applied for aid $7K aid approved $13K to the Town of Knightdale for repairs

2002

Severe Ice Storm

$37K to the Town of Knightdale for repairs

2000

Severe Winter Storm

$18K to the Town of Knightdale for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$15K to the Town of Knightdale for repairs

Wake County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.

Around Knightdale

Knightdale and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Raleighmostly inland floodingModerate

Knightdalemostly inland floodingVery low

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. Knightdale covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Knightdale’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Knightdale. 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 Knightdale total about $973K 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.