Natural hazards · Wilson

Wilson, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Wilson comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 338 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 Wilson?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Wilson to be higher than in 52% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding59%Hurricanes17%Tornadoes7%Everything else17%

By hazard

What Wilson faces

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

Inland flooding

59% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

17% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Tornadoes

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 63% of U.S. places

Lower here

HailIce 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 Wilson flood?

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

338paid claims since 1978

$9.8Mpaid to owners

29homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Floyd: 138 claims, $4.2M
Hurricane Matthew: 57 claims, $2.3M
Mid-spring storms: 16 claims, $263K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (11) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 25% off flood insurance. Wilson is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 5) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Wilson County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

410flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

68flood-prone homes bought out and moved

Disasters that hit Wilson

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WilsonDeclared for Wilson County only

2020

Tropical Storm Eta

$9K to the City of Wilson for repairs

2018

Hurricane Florence

116 households applied for aid $102K aid approved $419K to the City of Wilson for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

533 households applied for aid $708K aid approved $1.8M to the City of Wilson for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

271 households applied for aid $146K aid approved $1.3M to the City of Wilson for repairs

2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

127 households applied for aid $39K aid approved $425K to the City of Wilson for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

129 households applied for aid $70K aid approved $769K to the City of Wilson for repairs

2002

Severe Ice Storm

$135K to the City of Wilson for repairs

2000

Severe Winter Storm

$14K to the City of Wilson for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$3.7M to the City of Wilson for repairs

Wilson 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. Wilson covers 9 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Wilson’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Wilson. 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 Wilson 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.