Natural hazards · Old Fort

Old Fort, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Old Fort comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 17 claims here since 2003. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Old Fort?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Old Fort to be higher than in 79% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding77%Cold waves6%Everything else17%

By hazard

What Old Fort faces

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

Inland flooding

77% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 51% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHeat wavesAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Old Fort flood?

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

17paid claims since 2003

$3.1Mpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

20032026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Helene: 13 claims, $2.9M

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

Insurance rates: McDowell County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

24flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

6homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Old Fort

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Old FortDeclared for McDowell County only

2024

Tropical Storm Helene

2,168 households applied for aid $8.8M aid approved $8.4M to the Town of Old Fort for repairs

2018

Hurricane Florence

$92K to the Town of Old Fort for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storms and Flooding

$5K to the Town of Old Fort for repairs

2004

Hurricane Ivan

23 households applied for aid $34K aid approved

2004

Tropical Storm Frances

35 households applied for aid $79K aid approved $124K to the Town of Old Fort for repairs

McDowell County has had 17 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. Old Fort 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 Old Fort’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Old Fort. 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.