Natural hazards · Princeton

Princeton, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Princeton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 2021. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Princeton?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Princeton to be higher than in 20% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding37%Tornadoes19%Hurricanes13%Drought7%Heat waves6%Everything else18%

By hazard

What Princeton faces

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

Inland flooding

37% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 30% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

19% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 60% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 41 years in the area

Hurricanes

13% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 73% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Drought

7% of expected damage

Recorded about 10 times a year in the area

Heat waves

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 56% of U.S. places

Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

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 Princeton flood?

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

2paid claims since 2021

$105Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20212026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Johnston County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

13flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

1homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Princeton

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into PrincetonDeclared for Johnston County only

2018

Hurricane Florence

67 households applied for aid $17K aid approved $29K to the Town of Princeton for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

179 households applied for aid $579K aid approved $44K to the Town of Princeton for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

7 households applied for aid $7K to the Town of Princeton for repairs

2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

9 households applied for aid $14K aid approved $5K to the Town of Princeton for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

5 households applied for aid $3K aid approved

2002

Severe Ice Storm

$5K to the Town of Princeton for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$8K to the Town of Princeton for repairs

Johnston County has had 21 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. Princeton 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 Princeton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Princeton. 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.