Natural hazards · Mars Hill

Mars Hill, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Mars 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 Mars Hill?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Mars Hill to be higher than in 60% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding62%Cold waves15%Lightning7%Everything else16%

By hazard

What Mars Hill faces

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

Inland flooding

62% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

15% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 56% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lightning

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHeat wavesAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Mars Hill flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Mars 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: Madison County.

Disasters that hit Mars Hill

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Mars HillDeclared for Madison County only

2024

Tropical Storm Helene

1,366 households applied for aid $1.6M aid approved $89K to the Town of Mars Hill for repairs

2004

Hurricane Ivan

12 households applied for aid $32K aid approved

2004

Tropical Storm Frances

2 households applied for aid $10K aid approved

Madison County has had 19 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. Mars 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 Mars Hill’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Mars 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.