Natural hazards · Newton

Newton, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Newton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 2013. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Newton?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Newton to be higher than in 12% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding55%Tornadoes14%Earthquakes10%Ice storms6%Everything else15%

By hazard

What Newton faces

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

Inland flooding

55% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 18% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

14% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 63% of U.S. places

Earthquakes

10% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 67% of U.S. places

Ice storms

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailWinter 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 Newton flood?

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

3paid claims since 2013

$50Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20132026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Newton isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Catawba County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

3flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Newton

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into NewtonDeclared for Catawba County only

2024

Tropical Storm Helene

804 households applied for aid $626K aid approved $204K to the City of Newton for repairs

2013

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides

$332K to the City of Newton for repairs

2004

Tropical Storm Frances

1 household applied for aid $1K aid approved

2002

Severe Ice Storm

$102K to the City of Newton for repairs

Catawba County has had 18 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.

Around Newton

Newton and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Hickorymostly inland floodingLow

Newtonmostly inland floodingVery low

Conovermostly inland floodingVery low

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. Newton covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Newton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Newton. 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 Newton total about $1.6M 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.