Natural hazards · Laurel Hill

Laurel Hill, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Laurel Hill comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Laurel Hill?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Laurel Hill to be higher than in 64% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding36%Hurricanes21%Tornadoes17%Everything else26%

By hazard

What Laurel Hill faces

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

Inland flooding

36% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 63% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

21% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Tornadoes

17% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 60 years in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat 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 Laurel Hill flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Laurel Hill.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Scotland County.

Disasters that hit Laurel Hill

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Laurel Hill itself: aid to households, or repair grants to Laurel Hill.

Brought FEMA money into Laurel HillDeclared for Scotland County only

2018

Hurricane Florence

280 households applied for aid $159K aid approved

2016

Hurricane Matthew

61 households applied for aid $9K aid approved

2004

Tropical Storm Frances

15 households applied for aid $16K aid approved

Scotland County has had 14 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. Laurel Hill 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 Laurel Hill’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to Laurel Hill. 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.