Geography-first directory

North Carolina Disaster Risk: Compare Places to Live

Start with a place, then compare its hazards. This directory includes 16 cities across 14 FEMA area profiles.

Cities covered

FEMA areas

Source vintage

March 2023

FEMA hazard figures cover the counties shown. Cities in the same county share those figures; neighborhood and property conditions vary within the county.

Comparing places to live

Which North Carolina places have lower hurricane risk?

Among the FEMA areas represented in this directory, Buncombe County, Catawba County, Gaston County have some of the lowest relative hurricane scores. Start with these areas, then compare individual hazards and the conditions at a specific home.

These are the five lowest-scoring covered areas, including any ties at the cutoff—not a ranking of every place in North Carolina. Cities in the same FEMA area share its numbers. A lower relative score does not mean zero risk or a probability of loss.

FEMA relative scores, 0–100 · March 2023 dataset · sorted by hurricane score, lowest first
FEMA area / covered cities	Overall	Tornado	Hurricane	River flood	Wildfire	Heat wave
Buncombe County Asheville	81.5Relatively Low	82.4Relatively Moderate	66.6Relatively Low	96.4Relatively High	72.5Relatively Low	0.0No Rating
Catawba County Hickory	77.7Relatively Low	89.2Relatively Moderate	75.1Relatively Low	57.6Relatively Low	59.2Very Low	0.0No Rating
Gaston County Gastonia	81.5Relatively Low	92.4Relatively Moderate	77.0Relatively Low	50.1Relatively Low	58.7Very Low	80.2Relatively Moderate
Cabarrus County Concord	80.1Relatively Low	91.7Relatively Moderate	79.3Relatively Low	69.3Relatively Low	64.4Very Low	78.6Relatively Moderate
Alamance County Burlington	74.5Relatively Low	86.2Relatively Moderate	82.8Relatively Low	54.8Relatively Low	49.8Very Low	63.0Relatively Low

How to choose between lower-risk places

A lower hurricane rating does not remove flood, wind, landslide, or winter-weather concerns. Check the flood zone and access routes for the property as well as the county comparison.

FEMA combines expected losses, social vulnerability, and community resilience in its risk measures. Population and assets affect the results. The table is a starting point for comparing areas, not a prediction for an individual house.

How to read FEMA risk scores Check an address on FEMA flood maps ↗

North Carolina hazard rankings

Open a dedicated page with grouped FEMA areas, annualized frequency, city links, and preparedness guidance.

Tornado rankings →Hurricane rankings →

Cities in North Carolina

Compare a hazard, then choose lower or higher risk first. Rank #1 always means the highest score.

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Source

Relative scores and ratings come from FEMA National Risk Index v1.19.0. For a specific address, consult local hazard maps, property records, and insurance providers.

FEMA source ↗