Natural hazards · Monroe

Monroe, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Monroe comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 5 claims here since 1998. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Monroe?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Monroe to be higher than in 52% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding61%Tornadoes17%Earthquakes7%Everything else15%

By hazard

What Monroe faces

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

Inland flooding

61% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 68% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

17% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 74% of U.S. places

Earthquakes

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 72% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Monroe flood?

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

5paid claims since 1998

$32Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19982026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Florence: 2 claims, $17K
Hurricane Matthew: 1 claim, $3K

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

Insurance rates: Union County.

Disasters that hit Monroe

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MonroeDeclared for Union County only

2024

Tropical Storm Helene

332 households applied for aid $357K aid approved

2018

Hurricane Florence

91 households applied for aid $95K aid approved $786K to the City of Monroe for repairs

2004

Tropical Storm Frances

2 households applied for aid $20K aid approved

2000

Severe Winter Storm

$1.3M to the City of Monroe for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$3K to the City of Monroe for repairs

Union County has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.

Around Monroe

Monroe and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Wesley Chapelmostly inland floodingVery high

Unionvillemostly inland floodingHigh

Indian Trailmostly inland floodingHigh

Monroemostly inland floodingModerate

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. Monroe covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Monroe’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Monroe. 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 Monroe total about $7.1M 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.