Natural hazards · Oak Island

Oak Island, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Oak Island comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 912 claims here since 1986. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Oak Island?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Oak Island to be higher than in 95% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes.

Hurricanes76%Inland flooding14%Coastal flooding6%Everything else4%

By hazard

What Oak Island faces

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

Hurricanes

76% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Inland flooding

14% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 31% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Coastal flooding

6% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

DroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Oak Island flood?

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

912paid claims since 1986

$14.8Mpaid to owners

228homes flooded more than once

19862026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Floyd: 265 claims, $4.0M
Hurricane Isaias: 263 claims, $4.9M
Hurricane Florence: 94 claims, $2.3M

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 4 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (23) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 20% off flood insurance. Oak Island is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 6) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Brunswick County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

8homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Oak Island

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Oak IslandDeclared for Brunswick County only

2024

Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight

$299K to the Town of Oak Island for repairs

2020

Hurricane Isaias

$2.7M to the Town of Oak Island for repairs

2018

Hurricane Florence

556 households applied for aid $229K aid approved $9.3M to the Town of Oak Island for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

11 households applied for aid $4K aid approved $16.1M to the Town of Oak Island for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

6 households applied for aid $772 aid approved $47K to the Town of Oak Island for repairs

2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Straight-Line Winds

9 households applied for aid $8K aid approved

2008

Tropical Storm Hanna

$55K to the Town of Oak Island for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

5 households applied for aid $5K aid approved $2K to the Town of Oak Island for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$3.1M to the Town of Oak Island for repairs

1999

Hurricane Dennis

$29K to the Town of Oak Island for repairs

Brunswick County has had 26 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.

Around Oak Island

Oak Island and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Caswell Beachmostly hurricanesVery high

St. Jamesmostly hurricanesVery high

Oak Islandmostly hurricanesVery high

Boiling Spring Lakesmostly 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. Oak Island covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Oak Island’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Oak Island. 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 Oak Island total about $12.0M 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.