Natural hazards · Manteo

Manteo, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Manteo comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 266 claims here since 1978. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Manteo?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Manteo to be higher than in 98% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes.

Hurricanes79%Inland flooding8%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Manteo faces

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

Hurricanes

79% 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

8% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 11% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years 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 Manteo flood?

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

266paid claims since 1978

$5.4Mpaid to owners

49homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irene: 114 claims, $2.7M
Hurricane Michael: 48 claims, $1.5M
Hurricane Matthew: 20 claims, $331K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (8) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 25% off flood insurance. Manteo is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 5) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Dare County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

28homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Manteo

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ManteoDeclared for Dare County only

2019

Hurricane Dorian

$105K to the Town of Manteo for repairs

2018

Tropical Storm Michael

$48K to the Town of Manteo for repairs

2018

Hurricane Florence

$5K to the Town of Manteo for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

112 households applied for aid $139K aid approved $151K to the Town of Manteo for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

379 households applied for aid $629K aid approved $402K to the Town of Manteo for repairs

2010

Hurricane Earl

$7K to the Town of Manteo for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

180 households applied for aid $100K aid approved $125K to the Town of Manteo for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$57K to the Town of Manteo for repairs

1999

Hurricane Dennis

$21K to the Town of Manteo for repairs

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