Natural hazards · Topsail Beach

Topsail Beach, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Topsail Beach comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1,793 claims here since 1978. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Topsail Beach?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

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

Hurricanes54%Coastal flooding31%Inland flooding12%Everything else4%

By hazard

What Topsail Beach faces

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

Hurricanes

54% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Coastal flooding

31% of expected damage

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

Inland flooding

12% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 17% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

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 Topsail Beach flood?

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

1,793paid claims since 1978

$26.0Mpaid to owners

323homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Fran: 690 claims, $13.5M
Hurricane Floyd: 448 claims, $4.2M
Hurricane Florence: 206 claims, $4.3M

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 6 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (53) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Pender County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

20homes raised above flood level

1flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Topsail Beach

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Topsail BeachDeclared for Pender County only

2020

Hurricane Isaias

$1.5M to the Town of Topsail Beach for repairs

2019

Hurricane Dorian

$2.0M to the Town of Topsail Beach for repairs

2018

Hurricane Florence

52 households applied for aid $17K aid approved $13.8M to the Town of Topsail Beach for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

2 households applied for aid $17K aid approved $6.8M to the Town of Topsail Beach for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$5.4M to the Town of Topsail Beach for repairs

2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Straight-Line Winds

2 households applied for aid $6K aid approved

2005

Hurricane Ophelia

$600K to the Town of Topsail Beach for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

1 household applied for aid $4K to the Town of Topsail Beach for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$2.7M to the Town of Topsail Beach for repairs

Pender County has had 22 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. Topsail Beach covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Topsail Beach’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Topsail Beach. 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 Topsail Beach total about $7.1M 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.