Natural hazards · Madison

Madison, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Madison comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 20 claims here since 1979. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Madison?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Madison to be higher than in 54% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding82%Everything else18%

By hazard

What Madison faces

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

Inland flooding

82% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 75% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce 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 Madison flood?

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

20paid claims since 1979

$214Kpaid to owners

3homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Tropical Cyclone Eight: 1 claim, $40K
Hurricane Michael: 1 claim, $41K
Hurricane Eta: 1 claim, $4K

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

Insurance rates: Rockingham County.

Disasters that hit Madison

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MadisonDeclared for Rockingham County only

2018

Tornado and Severe Storms

6 households applied for aid

2004

Hurricane Ivan

4 households applied for aid $359 aid approved

2003

Ice Storm

$4K to the Town of Madison for repairs

2000

Severe Winter Storm

$1K to the Town of Madison for repairs

Rockingham County has had 22 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. Madison covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Madison’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Madison. 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 Madison total about $951K 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.