Natural hazards · Swansboro

Swansboro, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Swansboro comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 111 claims here since 1993. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Swansboro?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Swansboro to be higher than in 99% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes.

Hurricanes84%Inland flooding9%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Swansboro faces

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

Hurricanes

84% 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

9% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 23% 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 Swansboro flood?

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

111paid claims since 1993

$3.1Mpaid to owners

17homes flooded more than once

19932026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Florence: 24 claims, $866K
Hurricane Fran: 19 claims, $686K
Hurricane Floyd: 18 claims, $462K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (4) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Onslow County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Swansboro

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SwansboroDeclared for Onslow County only

2020

Hurricane Isaias

$47K to the Town of Swansboro for repairs

2019

Hurricane Dorian

$26K to the Town of Swansboro for repairs

2018

Hurricane Florence

1,229 households applied for aid $736K aid approved $856K to the Town of Swansboro for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

6 households applied for aid $3K aid approved $23K to the Town of Swansboro for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

86 households applied for aid $40K aid approved $20K to the Town of Swansboro for repairs

2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Straight-Line Winds

15 households applied for aid $17K aid approved

2005

Hurricane Ophelia

$34K to the Town of Swansboro for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

13 households applied for aid $20K aid approved $5K to the Town of Swansboro for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$64K to the Town of Swansboro for repairs

1999

Hurricane Dennis

$9K to the Town of Swansboro for repairs

Onslow County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe 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. Swansboro covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Swansboro’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Swansboro. 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 Swansboro total about $10.5M 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.