North Carolina coastal flooding risk
Brunswick County has the highest coastal flooding risk in North Carolina, scoring 89.4 out of 100 — rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
| # | County | NRI score | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brunswick County | 89.4 | Relatively High |
| 2 | New Hanover County | 89.2 | Relatively High |
| 3 | Carteret County | 88.2 | Relatively High |
| 4 | Dare County | 86.8 | Relatively High |
| 5 | Hyde County | 84.4 | Relatively High |
| 6 | Beaufort County | 82.2 | Relatively Moderate |
| 7 | Pender County | 81.6 | Relatively Moderate |
| 8 | Onslow County | 81 | Relatively Moderate |
| 9 | Tyrrell County | 68.8 | Relatively Moderate |
| 10 | Pasquotank County | 63.4 | Relatively Moderate |
| 11 | Pamlico County | 58.2 | Relatively Low |
| 12 | Currituck County | 57.6 | Relatively Low |
| 13 | Craven County | 54.2 | Relatively Low |
| 14 | Perquimans County | 52.2 | Relatively Low |
| 15 | Chowan County | 52 | Relatively Low |
| 16 | Camden County | 50.2 | Relatively Low |
| 17 | Pitt County | 48 | Relatively Low |
| 18 | Washington County | 47.2 | Relatively Low |
| 19 | Bertie County | 43.8 | Relatively Low |
| 20 | Gates County | 40.8 | Very Low |
| 21 | Hertford County | 39.6 | Very Low |
| 22 | Jones County | 33.2 | Very Low |
| 23 | Martin County | 31.6 | Very Low |
| 24 | Lenoir County | 28.4 | Very Low |
| 25 | Greene County | 23.2 | Very Low |
| 26 | Columbus County | 19.4 | Very Low |
| 27 | Bladen County | 18.6 | Very Low |
| 28 | Northampton County | 17.8 | Very Low |
| 29 | Cumberland County | 0 | No Rating |
| 30 | Duplin County | 0 | No Rating |
| 31 | Edgecombe County | 0 | No Rating |
| 32 | Halifax County | 0 | No Rating |
| 33 | Sampson County | 0 | No Rating |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20.0, December 2025. Scores are 0–100 percentile rankings among all US counties. See the methodology page for definitions. Download the full CSV for all counties.
Coastal Flooding risk nationally:
Other hazard risks in North Carolina:
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest coastal flooding risk county in North Carolina?
Brunswick County, NC has the highest coastal flooding risk in North Carolina, with a FEMA National Risk Index score of 89.4 out of 100 (rated "Relatively High").
What causes coastal flooding risk in North Carolina?
Coastal flooding scores cover storm surge, wave action, and tidal flooding along the Gulf, Atlantic, and Pacific coasts, and Great Lakes shoreline. Inland flooding is scored separately. Counties with "Not Applicable" ratings have no significant coastal exposure. Coastal flood events are reported at zone level in NOAA Storm Events and are not included in county-level counts.