Natural hazards · Leland

Leland, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Leland comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 58 claims here since 1999. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Leland?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Leland to be higher than in 94% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes71%Inland flooding17%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Leland faces

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

Hurricanes

71% 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

17% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 49% 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 Leland flood?

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

58paid claims since 1999

$5.9Mpaid to owners

11homes flooded more than once

19992026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Florence: 33 claims, $3.2M
Tropical Cyclone Eight: 20 claims, $2.7M
Hurricane Debby: 2 claims, $34K

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 15% off flood insurance. Leland is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 7) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Brunswick County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

23flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Leland

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into LelandDeclared for Brunswick County only

2020

Hurricane Isaias

$28K to the Town of Leland for repairs

2019

Hurricane Dorian

$100K to the Town of Leland for repairs

2018

Hurricane Florence

3,249 households applied for aid $2.6M aid approved $1.8M to the Town of Leland for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

248 households applied for aid $92K aid approved

2011

Hurricane Irene

103 households applied for aid $49K aid approved

2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Straight-Line Winds

153 households applied for aid $131K aid approved

2008

Tropical Storm Hanna

$11K to the Town of Leland for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

343 households applied for aid $293K aid approved

Brunswick County has had 26 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. Leland covers 5 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Leland’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Leland. 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 Leland total about $22.8M 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.