Natural hazards · New Bern

New Bern, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in New Bern comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1,621 claims here since 1981. 12 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is New Bern?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

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

Hurricanes80%Inland flooding9%Everything else10%

By hazard

What New Bern faces

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

Hurricanes

80% 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

9% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 21% of U.S. places

Recorded about once 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 New Bern flood?

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

1,621paid claims since 1981

$69.5Mpaid to owners

270homes flooded more than once

19812026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Florence: 801 claims, $59.8M
Hurricane Irene: 271 claims, $4.8M
Hurricane Fran: 204 claims, $2.1M

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 5 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (29) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 10% off flood insurance. New Bern is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 8) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Craven County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

156homes raised above flood level

63flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

2buildings retrofitted against wind

Disasters that hit New Bern

12 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into New BernDeclared for Craven County only

2020

Hurricane Isaias

$622K to the City of New Bern for repairs

2019

Hurricane Dorian

$1.1M to the City of New Bern for repairs

2018

Hurricane Florence

7,301 households applied for aid $14.7M aid approved $45.6M to the City of New Bern for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

143 households applied for aid $47K aid approved $538K to the City of New Bern for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

1,997 households applied for aid $1.8M aid approved $2.8M to the City of New Bern for repairs

2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

46 households applied for aid $29K aid approved $66K to the City of New Bern for repairs

2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Straight-Line Winds

450 households applied for aid $756K aid approved

2010

Hurricane Earl

$12K to the City of New Bern for repairs

2005

Hurricane Ophelia

$243K to the City of New Bern for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

232 households applied for aid $178K aid approved $585K to the City of New Bern for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$525K to the City of New Bern for repairs

1999

Hurricane Dennis

$191K to the City of New Bern for repairs

Craven County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.

Around New Bern

New Bern and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Brices Creekmostly hurricanesVery high

New Bernmostly hurricanesVery high

Trent Woodsmostly hurricanesVery high

James Citymostly hurricanesVery high

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. New Bern covers 6 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to New Bern’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of New Bern. 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 New Bern total about $26.5M 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.