Natural hazards · Ocean Isle Beach

Ocean Isle Beach, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Ocean Isle Beach comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1,287 claims here since 1979. 12 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Ocean Isle Beach?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Ocean Isle Beach to be higher than in 93% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes.

Hurricanes74%Inland flooding12%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Ocean Isle Beach faces

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

Hurricanes

74% 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

12% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times 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 Ocean Isle Beach flood?

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

1,287paid claims since 1979

$9.9Mpaid to owners

138homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Hugo: 475 claims, $2.2M
Hurricane Isaias: 189 claims, $1.2M
Hurricane Matthew: 110 claims, $677K

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 3 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (12) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 15% off flood insurance. Ocean Isle Beach is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 7) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Brunswick County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1flood-prone homes bought out and moved

Disasters that hit Ocean Isle Beach

12 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Ocean Isle BeachDeclared for Brunswick County only

2022

Hurricane Ian

$19K to the Town of Ocean Isle Beach for repairs

2020

Hurricane Isaias

$1.2M to the Town of Ocean Isle Beach for repairs

2019

Hurricane Dorian

$20K to the Town of Ocean Isle Beach for repairs

2018

Hurricane Florence

239 households applied for aid $104K aid approved $122K to the Town of Ocean Isle Beach for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

50 households applied for aid $57K aid approved $240K to the Town of Ocean Isle Beach for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

5 households applied for aid $3K aid approved $9K to the Town of Ocean Isle Beach for repairs

2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Straight-Line Winds

23 households applied for aid $32K aid approved

2008

Tropical Storm Hanna

$98K to the Town of Ocean Isle Beach for repairs

2005

Hurricane Ophelia

$48K to the Town of Ocean Isle Beach for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

1 household applied for aid $2K aid approved

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$305K to the Town of Ocean Isle Beach for repairs

1999

Hurricane Dennis

$10K to the Town of Ocean Isle Beach for repairs

Brunswick County has had 26 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. Ocean Isle Beach 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 Ocean Isle Beach’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Ocean Isle Beach. 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.