Natural hazards · Wake Forest

Wake Forest, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Wake Forest comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 2019. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Wake Forest?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Wake Forest to be higher than in 48% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding79%Everything else21%

By hazard

What Wake Forest faces

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

Inland flooding

79% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 71% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

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 Wake Forest flood?

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

2paid claims since 2019

$21Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

20192026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Debby: 1 claim, $7K

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

Insurance rates: Wake County.

Disasters that hit Wake Forest

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Wake ForestDeclared for Wake County only

2016

Hurricane Matthew

10 households applied for aid $69K to the Town of Wake Forest for repairs

2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

34 households applied for aid $57K aid approved

2003

Hurricane Isabel

17 households applied for aid $44K aid approved $52K to the Town of Wake Forest for repairs

2002

Severe Ice Storm

$335K to the Town of Wake Forest for repairs

2000

Severe Winter Storm

$15K to the Town of Wake Forest for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$113K to the Town of Wake Forest for repairs

Wake County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.

Around Wake Forest

Wake Forest and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Wake Forestmostly inland floodingModerate

Raleighmostly inland floodingModerate

Rolesvillemostly inland floodingLow

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. Wake Forest covers 8 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Wake Forest’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Wake Forest. 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 Wake Forest total about $12.8M 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.