Chatham County, North Carolina: hazard risk
FEMA rates Chatham County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 67.2 of 100, higher than 67% of rated U.S. counties). Its storm record holds 548 events since 1950.
FEMA's rating for each hazard
These are FEMA's county-wide model ratings and this county's storm record. They are not an assessment of any property, address or building, and not insurance advice: a property's risk depends on its own elevation, construction and location.
FEMA gives each hazard its own rating, and a rating does not follow the score from one hazard to the next: a hazard with a higher score can carry a lower rating than another. The table sorts by FEMA's rating, then by score (0 to 100, the county against every other county for that hazard).
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 83.4 | $2.9M |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 75.8 | $3.0M |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 74.4 | $15M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 74.1 | $261K |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 58.6 | $298K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 72.4 | $961K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 67.1 | $468K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 61.3 | $458K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 55.0 | $72K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 51.2 | $944K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 45.0 | $95K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 36.5 | $349K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 48.2 | $1K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 33.0 | $16K |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. A model of future loss, not a count of past events. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
What the record holds
| Hazard | Records | Deaths | Damage | Rank in state | Rank in U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 317 | 0 | $1.5M | 49th of 100 | 844th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 82 | 0 | – | 81st of 100 | 1790th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 58 | 1 | $651K | 74th of 100 | 1764th of 3,077 |
| Floods | 41 | 3 | $33M | 76th of 100 | 1547th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 14 | 0 | $918K | 76th of 100 | 1776th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 12 | 0 | $1.2M | 74th of 100 | 2119th of 3,080 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 8 | 0 | $2.5M | 55th of 100 | 437th of 1,849 |
| Heavy rain | 7 | 0 | – | 65th of 100 | 1240th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 6 | 0 | – | 39th of 100 | 1553rd of 3,076 |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 0 | – | 85th of 100 | 2550th of 3,076 |
| Lightning | 1 | 0 | $64K | 89th of 100 | 2086th of 3,080 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Chatham County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.