Natural hazards · Wilmington

Wilmington, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Wilmington comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 469 claims here since 1983. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Wilmington?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Wilmington to be higher than in 94% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes72%Inland flooding17%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Wilmington faces

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

Hurricanes

72% 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

17% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 52% 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 Wilmington flood?

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

469paid claims since 1983

$11.1Mpaid to owners

87homes flooded more than once

19832026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Florence: 225 claims, $6.7M
Hurricane Floyd: 64 claims, $957K
Hurricane Fran: 50 claims, $1.4M

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 2 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (10) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: New Hanover County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

14flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

5homes raised above flood level

2buildings retrofitted against wind

Disasters that hit Wilmington

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WilmingtonDeclared for New Hanover County only

2020

Hurricane Isaias

$3.3M to the City of Wilmington for repairs

2019

Hurricane Dorian

$141K to the City of Wilmington for repairs

2018

Hurricane Florence

18,719 households applied for aid $11.5M aid approved $26.1M to the City of Wilmington for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

4 households applied for aid $1.3M to the City of Wilmington for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

476 households applied for aid $105K aid approved $662K to the City of Wilmington for repairs

2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Straight-Line Winds

246 households applied for aid $125K aid approved

2008

Tropical Storm Hanna

$219K to the City of Wilmington for repairs

2005

Hurricane Ophelia

$694K to the City of Wilmington for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

2,524 households applied for aid $2.2M aid approved $183K to the City of Wilmington for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$2.7M to the City of Wilmington for repairs

1999

Hurricane Dennis

$81K to the City of Wilmington for repairs

New Hanover County has had 23 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.

Around Wilmington

Wilmington and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Silver Lakemostly hurricanesVery high

Ogdenmostly hurricanesVery high

Murraysvillemostly hurricanesVery high

Kings Grantmostly hurricanesVery high

Wilmingtonmostly hurricanesVery high

Hightsvillemostly hurricanesVery high

Myrtle Grovemostly hurricanesVery high

Wrightsboromostly hurricanesVery high

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. Wilmington covers 30 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Wilmington’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Wilmington. 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 Wilmington total about $128M 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.