FEMA Records
24
Above median
North Carolina · FEMA + NOAA + National Risk Index
Robeson County, NC
24 FEMA disaster declarations (1984-2026), with a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Relatively Moderate. Most common hazard: Hurricane.
- 24
- FEMA declarations
- 13
- Major disasters
- 91
- NRI risk · Relatively Moderate
- Hurricane
- Top hazard
The verdict
Robeson County has a nationally busy FEMA history: 24 declarations, more than 66% of counties in this registry. But the state comparison tempers that reading: the total is 0% below the North Carolina county mean. FEMA's separate National Risk Index places the county in the riskiest 9%; that score models loss and vulnerability rather than counting declarations.
- Riskiest 9%
- of U.S. counties for FEMA National Risk Index score
- Relatively Moderate
- FEMA National Risk Index rating
- 24
- FEMA declarations vs 21 national county avg
- 1,430
- NFIP flood insurance claims filed
FEMA's National Risk Index and its declaration registry are separate measures. This county's registry includes Major Disaster (DR) and Emergency (EM) records; an EM authorizes a narrower set of federal assistance than a DR.
How does Robeson County compare?
Robeson County vs. all counties in this dataset
FEMA disaster declarations, all-time
24 Top 34% higher than 66% of 3,266 counties
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 · 2026-08-03
Robeson County's FEMA Risk Index score
FEMA National Risk Index composite score vs. the North Carolina county average
Which hazard drives modeled loss here?
FEMA's modeled annual dollar loss for Robeson County is led by Hurricane (about $17.9M Expected Annual Loss, Historical Loss Ratio Relatively Moderate), while Strong Wind carries the highest National Risk Index rating (Very High). EAL and risk score use different inputs; they need not agree.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025 release) - Expected Annual Loss vs composite risk rating by hazard.
What does Robeson County's hazard record show?
Reading the federal records together
FEMA's NFIP table contains a substantial paid-claim history for this county: 1,430 claims and $54.6M in payments. PlainHazard labels 500 or more claims a heavy registry record; that is a reporting bucket, not an official FEMA risk grade. The average paid claim was $38.2K. NFIP totals exclude uninsured flood losses and do not measure how many properties currently carry a policy.
Start with the state benchmark: a North Carolina county averages 24.0 federal declaration records, while Robeson County has 24. The gap is 0% below that mean. Fewer entries indicate a quieter history of recorded federal actions, not immunity from a hazard and not a prediction about what happens next.
FEMA National Risk Index
This county sits among the highest-risk counties nationally on FEMA's National Risk Index, a composite score of 91.1/100 (Relatively Moderate). Expected Annual Loss is rated Relatively Moderate (roughly $56.9M in annualized losses). Social vulnerability reads Very High and community resilience Very Low, both critical modifiers of realized harm here. Of the 18 hazards FEMA models, Strong Wind stands out as the sharpest exposure here, rated Very High. FEMA's modeled frequency puts that hazard at an average of 2.9 times per year here, based on 109 historical events on record.
Declaration frequency
Nationally, Robeson County's 24 FEMA records form a high-volume history; within North Carolina, however, the count is 0% below the county mean. 13 entries carry the Major Disaster classification. The largest incident group is Hurricane, appearing 15 times. The full 42-year record averages 0.6 declarations annually. A DR label alone does not say whether Individual Assistance, Public Assistance, or both followed.
58 /100
Historical Activity Index
High historical activity
Robeson County, NC · PlainHazard-derived composite from federal records
This 0–100 index is an explicit PlainHazard composite from FEMA declaration history only on the county surface (this DB has no county-level NOAA damage row) . It is not FEMA's National Risk Index, not a forecast, and not a safety, insurance, or preparedness rating. Open the calculator · Methodology
FEMA Declarations (1953–present) High
17/30
24 OpenFEMA declarations, full ingest window (1.2x national county average)
County Disaster Density Moderate
12/25
24 declarations (1.0x state county average of 24)
Major Disaster Share High
14/25
13 of 24 declarations are major disasters (54%)
Hazard Diversity Very High
15/20
6 different disaster types declared in Robeson County
Historical Declaration Activity
Activity Band
High
vs. North Carolina Avg
0%
State avg: 24.0
vs. National Avg
+16%
National avg: 20.7
Avg Per Year
0.6
Over 42 years
FEMA NRI 8-hazard radar - Robeson County
How to read this radar
Each axis: NRI risk rating (Very Low-Very High) on a 0-100 scale. Rounder = broad exposure; spiky = one or two hazards dominate.
Major Disaster share
54%
Major-heavy
NRI risk score
91
Relatively Moderate
Source: FEMA National Risk Index FEMA National Risk Index Per-county per-hazard ratings, December 2025 release
How often does each hazard strike Robeson County?
FEMA's National Risk Index models a historical event count and an annualized frequency for each hazard type. Most hazards are expressed as modeled occurrences per year; FEMA expresses drought and heat-wave frequency as event-days per year. These modeled frequencies are not forecasts.
| Hazard | NRI Risk Rating | Recurrence |
|---|---|---|
| Strong Wind | Very High | an average of 2.9 times per year |
| Tornado | Relatively High | roughly once every 2 years |
| Hurricane | Relatively High | roughly once every 4 years |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | an average of 2.6 times per year |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | roughly once every 473 years |
| Lightning | Relatively High | an average of 55 times per year |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 7.7 modeled event-days per year |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | roughly once every 1 years |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | roughly once every 466 years |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | roughly once every 1 years |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | an average of 3.6 times per year |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | roughly once every 2 years |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 13 modeled event-days per year |
| Landslide | Very Low | roughly once every 7 years |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index FEMA National Risk Index Modeled annualized frequency; drought and heat wave use event-days/year, December 2025 release
Disaster Types
Hurricane 15
Severe Storm 3
Tropical Storm 2
Biological 2
Winter Storm 1
Tornado 1
What Hurricane declarations mean here
Hurricane is the most frequent declaration type on Robeson County's federal record, 63% of its declarations. Atlantic tropical systems run on a defined season, 1 June to 30 November, with most activity concentrated between August and October; Pacific and territorial basins run on their own calendars. A single named storm routinely produces one declaration number covering a long corridor of counties at once, well inland as well as on the coast, which is why an affected county's count can jump by several in one year without several separate events having occurred.
One practical distinction matters when reading these records: a tropical declaration usually bundles wind, storm surge and inland rainfall flooding under a single incident, but the insurance behind them is split. Wind damage falls to property insurers, while flood and surge damage is covered only under a separate National Flood Insurance Program policy. That is why a county can show heavy declaration activity and a comparatively small NFIP claims record, or the reverse.
Declaration counts describe past federal action. They are a record of what was declared, not a forecast of future hazard probability.
Declaration Types
What DR / EM / FM mean
FEMA categorizes declarations as Major Disasters (DR), Emergencies (EM), or Fire Management Assistance (FM).
Major Disaster - 13 54.2%
of all 24 declarations
Emergency - 11 45.8%
of all 24 declarations
FEMA Declarations Timeline
| Year | Declarations | |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | |
| 2024 | 2 | |
| 2023 | 1 | |
| 2021 | 1 | |
| 2020 | 4 | |
| 2019 | 1 | |
| 2018 | 2 | |
| 2017 | 2 | |
| 2011 | 1 | |
| 2005 | 1 | |
| 2004 | 1 | |
| 2003 | 1 | |
| 1999 | 2 | |
| 1998 | 2 | |
| 1996 | 1 | |
Show 1 earlier declaration years
| 1984 | 1 | |
Disaster Declarations
How the 24 FEMA declarations break into federal action codes (DR / EM / FM). Same DISTINCT grain as the table below.
Download these 24 declarations as CSV . FEMA source data is public domain; our derived presentation is CC0.
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3637 | SEVERE WINTER STORM | EM | Winter Storm | 2026-01-24 |
| 3617 | HURRICANE HELENE | EM | Tropical Storm | 2024-09-26 |
| 3608 | TROPICAL STORM DEBBY | EM | Tropical Storm | 2024-08-06 |
| 3586 | HURRICANE IAN | EM | Hurricane | 2022-10-01 |
| 4588 | TROPICAL STORM ETA | DR | Severe Storm | 2021-03-03 |
| 3534 | HURRICANE ISAIAS | EM | Hurricane | 2020-08-02 |
| 4487 | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR | Biological | 2020-03-25 |
| 3471 | COVID-19 | EM | Biological | 2020-03-13 |
| 4465 | HURRICANE DORIAN | DR | Hurricane | 2019-10-04 |
| 3423 | HURRICANE DORIAN | EM | Hurricane | 2019-09-03 |
| 4393 | HURRICANE FLORENCE | DR | Hurricane | 2018-09-14 |
| 3401 | HURRICANE FLORENCE | EM | Hurricane | 2018-09-10 |
| 4285 | HURRICANE MATTHEW | DR | Hurricane | 2016-10-10 |
| 3380 | HURRICANE MATTHEW | EM | Hurricane | 2016-10-07 |
| 1969 | SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2011-04-19 |
| 3222 | HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION | EM | Hurricane | 2005-09-05 |
| 1546 | TROPICAL STORM FRANCES | DR | Hurricane | 2004-09-10 |
| 1490 | HURRICANE ISABEL | DR | Hurricane | 2003-09-18 |
| 1292 | HURRICANE FLOYD MAJOR DISASTER DECLARATIONS | DR | Hurricane | 1999-09-16 |
| 3146 | HURRICANE FLOYD EMERGENCY DECLARATIONS | EM | Hurricane | 1999-09-15 |
Show 4 earlier declaration records
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1240 | HURRICANE BONNIE | DR | Hurricane | 1998-08-27 |
| 1200 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 1998-01-15 |
| 1134 | HURRICANE FRAN | DR | Hurricane | 1996-09-06 |
| 699 | SEVERE STORMS & TORNADOES | DR | Tornado | 1984-03-30 |
Storm Events in North Carolina
Statewide NOAA context only. PlainHazard does not currently attribute these state totals to Robeson County.
| Storm Type | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 7,123 | 11 | 60 | $62.9M |
| Flash Flood | 1,881 | 105 | 6 | $2.3B |
| Hail | 1,623 | 0 | 0 | $122.5M |
| Winter Weather | 1,272 | 6 | 2 | $425.0K |
| Winter Storm | 743 | 7 | 0 | $10.7M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database NOAA Storm Events Database State-level aggregated data, 2015-2025
NFIP Flood Insurance Claims
Total Claims
1,430
Total Paid
$54.6M
Avg Per Claim
$38.2K
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA Claims Data FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA Claims Data
FEMA National Risk Index
Overall Risk
Relatively Moderate
Score: 91.1/100
Expected Annual Loss
Relatively Moderate
$56.9M/year
Social Vulnerability
Very High
Community Resilience
Very Low
Hazard Risk Breakdown
Strong Wind Very High
Tornado Relatively High
Hurricane Relatively High
Winter Weather Relatively High
Earthquake Relatively Moderate
Lightning Relatively High
Heat Wave Relatively Moderate
Ice Storm Relatively High
Wildfire Relatively Low
Riverine Flooding Relatively Moderate
Hail Relatively Moderate
Cold Wave Relatively Moderate
Drought Relatively Moderate
Landslide Very Low
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) Ratings reflect relative scores among all US counties. Data: hazards.fema.gov/nri
The model's sharpest exposure here: Strong Wind
Strong Wind covers damaging non-thunderstorm, non-tornadic wind, the kind produced by steep pressure gradients and downslope events. It is a broad, frequent, low-drama hazard: roofs, signage, power lines and high-profile vehicles, spread across a wide area rather than concentrated on a path.
Worth noting for Robeson County: the model and the federal record do NOT point at the same hazard. Strong Wind carries the highest modeled rating (Very High), while the county's declaration history is led by Hurricane. That is not a contradiction, the two measure genuinely different things. Declarations record federal ACTION, which requires damage costly enough to exceed state and local capacity; the Risk Index models EXPECTED annual loss across all 18 hazards whether or not any declaration ever followed. A hazard can be the county's largest modeled exposure and never once have driven a declaration.
National Risk Index ratings are modeled estimates of expected annual loss, not predictions of what will happen in any given year.
Data-matched county comparisons
Robeson County's closest FEMA peer: Chautauqua County, NY
Comparisons use published FEMA declaration fields plus the National Risk Index composite for Robeson County. Record similarity, not a safety rating.
Closest declaration profiles
Robeson County shows 24 FEMA declarations, led by Hurricane.
Similar Major-disaster share
Robeson County: 13 of 24 of its declarations are Major.
Similar modeled NRI score
Robeson County: NRI composite 91.1 (Relatively Moderate).
How these peers are chosen
Cohort: Published U.S. county equivalents outside the source state or territory. Each metric keeps six ETL candidates; three unique destinations are shown after de-duplicating across axes. Declaration-volume ranking combines count and Major-disaster share and prefers a different leading incident type; Major-share ranks the Major fraction adjusted for volume; NRI ranks the modeled composite score only.
Retained FEMA snapshot feed for Robeson County - capture-dated entries only.
Further reading for this county
Understanding disaster data
Robeson County's NFIP claims file (1,430 claims) and FEMA declaration history measure different federal records - this guide separates them from modeled NRI risk.
More PlainHazard guides
- Most disaster-prone counties - U.S. counties ranked by FEMA declaration totals.
- Understanding disaster data - declarations vs storm events vs NRI scores.
- Preparing for natural disasters - household checklist (not county-specific advice).
Related
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common disaster type in Robeson County?
The most common disaster type in Robeson County is Hurricane, with 15 declarations. Other disaster types include Severe Storm (3), Tropical Storm (2), Biological (2).
How does Robeson County's FEMA declaration record compare with the North Carolina average?
The typical North Carolina county has 24.0 FEMA declaration records; Robeson County has 24, or 0% fewer. Against the national county mean of 20.7, this county's total is 16% higher. The comparison is historical and says nothing about the probability of a future event.
How many major FEMA disaster declarations has Robeson County received?
Robeson County has received 13 major disaster declarations, representing 54% of all 24 disaster declarations.
How many flood insurance claims has Robeson County filed?
Robeson County has 1,430 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims totaling $54.6M in payments, with an average of $38.2K per claim.
Does FEMA's top risk-rated hazard match the highest Expected Annual Loss in Robeson County?
No. In Robeson County, Strong Wind has the highest National Risk Index rating (Very High), while Hurricane leads Expected Annual Loss at about $17.9M. FEMA's risk score and dollar-loss model use different inputs, so the leaders often differ.
What was the worst year for disasters in Robeson County?
The most active year for disaster declarations in Robeson County was 2020, with 4 declarations. The county has FEMA disaster data spanning 1984 to 2026.
What is the FEMA National Risk Index score for Robeson County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, Robeson County, North Carolina has an overall risk score of 91.1 out of 100 (Relatively Moderate). On social vulnerability the county rates Very High; on community resilience, Very Low. The Expected Annual Loss (EAL) score is Relatively Moderate, representing $56.9M in annualized losses.
Which natural hazard poses the greatest risk to Robeson County?
The top hazard flagged by FEMA's NRI for Robeson County is Strong Wind (risk rating: Very High). Other significant hazards include Tornado (Relatively High) and Hurricane (Relatively High). FEMA's modeled event frequency puts strong wind here at an average of 2.9 times per year, drawn from 109 historical events on record. FEMA derives these ratings from historical event frequency, the assets exposed, and the community's vulnerability profile.
Data Sources & Methodology
Disaster declaration data comes from the FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 API, which includes all federally declared disasters, emergencies, and fire management assistance grants.
Storm event data is sourced from the NOAA Storm Events Database (2015-2025), which tracks significant weather events including thunderstorms, tornadoes, floods, and winter storms.
Flood insurance data comes from the FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA claims dataset.
This data is provided for informational purposes only. FEMA disaster declarations represent federal response actions and may not capture all local emergencies or weather events.
What this means for Robeson County
Against a North Carolina county mean of 24 declarations, Robeson County, NC records 24, or 0% fewer. PlainHazard classifies that historical total as high activity.
- Major Disaster is the largest group (13 of 24) in a declaration history that remains below its state benchmark; frequency here is not a forecast. North Carolina overview
- Nationally the county exceeds 66% of recorded county totals, but its own North Carolina benchmark is higher. The ranking keeps those two contexts separate. Most-disaster rankings
- The large NFIP claims file and FEMA declaration history measure different federal records; the guide explains where they overlap and where they do not. Disaster-data guide
A below-average federal record is not a safety guarantee. Use National Weather Service alerts and local emergency-management notices for present conditions, not this historical comparison.
PlainHazard derives this profile from FEMA's Disaster Declarations Summaries and National Risk Index data. The declaration comparison covers 3,266 U.S. counties and county equivalents in this database, refreshed as of 2026-08-03. Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FEMA OpenFEMA, Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 - all federally-declared disasters for this county. fema.gov/openfema/disaster-declarations
- FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) - per-county per-hazard risk ratings and expected annual loss. hazards.fema.gov/nri
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database - state-level storm/severe-weather event records, 2015-2025. ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainHazard Editorial
Verify with FEMA → · Verify with FEMA NRI → · Verify with NOAA →
Every figure on PlainHazard is rendered directly from FEMA federal disaster data, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or national statistics report, the data & editorial changelog, or report a data error.