Natural hazards · Chincoteague

Chincoteague, VA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Chincoteague comes from coastal flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 114 claims here since 1989. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Chincoteague?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

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

Coastal flooding70%Hurricanes20%Inland flooding7%Everything else2%

By hazard

What Chincoteague faces

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

Coastal flooding

70% of expected damage

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

Hurricanes

20% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Inland flooding

7% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 3% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years 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 Chincoteague flood?

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

114paid claims since 1989

$1.0Mpaid to owners

17homes flooded more than once

19892026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Sandy: 47 claims, $536K
November 2009 Nor'easter: 21 claims, $125K
Tropical Storm Ernesto: 4 claims, $69K

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 10% off flood insurance. Chincoteague is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 8) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Accomack County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Chincoteague

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ChincoteagueDeclared for Accomack County only

2012

Hurricane Sandy

$122K to the Town of Chincoteague for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$28K to the Town of Chincoteague for repairs

2006

Tropical Depression Ernesto, Severe Storms and Flooding

$12K to the Town of Chincoteague for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

$1K to the Town of Chincoteague for repairs

Accomack County has had 15 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. Chincoteague covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Chincoteague’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Chincoteague. 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 Chincoteague total about $11.2M 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.