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Anson County, North Carolina

Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.

Relatively Low overall risk
76th of 100highest risk in North Carolina
$10Mexpected losses a year
20federal declarations
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Anson County, North Carolina has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 50% of US counties. It ranks 76th of 100 counties in North Carolina. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, hurricanes and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $10 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $464 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (9 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 5 homes here carry federal flood insurance.

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.

Top risks in Anson County

$4.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 2 times a year.
  • Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
  • Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.

Hurricane

Moderate
$1.9 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 6 years.
  • Know your evacuation zone and route before June 1.
  • Ask about roof age, shutters and the separate wind or hurricane deductible on your home policy.

Tornado

Moderate
$1.7 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 4 years.
  • Pick a shelter spot: a basement, or an inside room on the lowest floor with no windows.
  • Turn on emergency alerts on your phone and keep a weather radio.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow51.3
$4M
HurricaneModerate82.9
$2M
TornadoModerate71.9
$2M
Strong windModerate72.3
$653K
Cold waveLow45.2
$498K
EarthquakeLow64.8
$378K
Heat waveLow48.1
$216K
Ice stormModerate75.5
$188K
LightningLow41.0
$105K
DroughtLow50.9
$98K
HailLow36.3
$97K
WildfireVery Low58.5
$48K
Winter weatherLow31.3
$20K
LandslideVery Low34.2
$268

Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is very high and community resilience is relatively low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Anson County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane13
Tropical Storm2
Drought1
Tornado1
Severe Storm1
Severe Ice Storm1

Most recent

Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
Aug 6, 2024Tropical Storm DebbyEmergency
Oct 1, 2022Hurricane IanEmergency
Aug 2, 2020Hurricane IsaiasEmergency
Sep 3, 2019Hurricane DorianEmergency
Sep 14, 2018Hurricane FlorenceMajor disaster
Sep 10, 2018Hurricane FlorenceEmergency
Oct 10, 2016Hurricane MatthewMajor disaster
Oct 7, 2016Hurricane MatthewEmergency
Show all 20
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 10, 2004Tropical Storm FrancesMajor disaster
Dec 12, 2002Severe Ice StormMajor disaster
Jan 31, 2000Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Sep 16, 1999Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster DeclarationsMajor disaster
Sep 15, 1999Hurricane Floyd Emergency DeclarationsEmergency
Sep 6, 1996Hurricane FranMajor disaster
Sep 25, 1989Hurricane HugoMajor disaster
May 17, 1989TornadoesMajor disaster
Aug 11, 1977DroughtEmergency

North Carolina also had 22 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1958

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 298 storm reports in Anson County since 1958, with 2 deaths and 7 injuries and about $42.7 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF2 tornado on April 13, 2020 near Morven.

7tornadoes
53hail reports, largest 3 inches
188damaging thunderstorm winds
44floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 13, 2020EF2Morven0 / 0
Mar 31, 2022EF2Burnsville0 / 0
May 15, 1976F2–4 / 0
Apr 13, 2020EF1Mc Farlan0 / 0
May 5, 1989F1–1 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Sep 17, 2018FloodLong Pine$36M
Apr 13, 2020TornadoMc Farlan$3M
May 5, 1989Tornado–$3M
Apr 13, 2020TornadoMorven$600K
Mar 31, 2022TornadoBurnsville$500K
Jun 26, 2010LightningMc Farlan$75K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 6, 2026. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.

Hurricanes and tropical storms

Hurricane risk by county ›

Since 1851, 3 hurricanes and 32 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Anson County, 11 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Hugo (1989), with top winds near 85 mph about 60 miles away.

3hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
32tropical storms
2021most recent: Elsa

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 22, 1989HugoCategory 1, 85 mph60 mi
Sep 29, 1896UnnamedCategory 1, 85 mph33 mi
Aug 28, 1893UnnamedCategory 1, 85 mph60 mi
Sep 14, 1904UnnamedTropical storm, 70 mph57 mi
Sep 12, 1878UnnamedTropical storm, 65 mph39 mi
Sep 5, 1979DavidTropical storm, 60 mph65 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Jul 8, 2021ElsaTropical storm, 50 mph53 mi
Jun 21, 2021ClaudetteTropical storm, 45 mph57 mi
Oct 11, 2018MichaelTropical storm, 55 mph60 mi
Sep 23, 2000HeleneTropical storm, 35 mph63 mi
Sep 22, 1989HugoCategory 1, 85 mph60 mi
Jul 25, 1985BobTropical storm, 55 mph62 mi

Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center best-track records (HURDAT2), 1851 to 2025 for the Atlantic and 1949 to 2025 for the eastern Pacific. A storm counts if its track passed within 65 miles of the county's center while it was a tropical storm or hurricane. Strength is the storm's top sustained wind at that point, not the wind measured in the county. Older storms over the open sea were sometimes missed.

Flood insurance in Anson County

Check your address flood zone ›
0%of homes have federal flood insurance (5 policies)
3.3%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$21,525paid on 4 flood claims since 1978
2014costliest year, with $11,013 paid

National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.

Homes in Anson County

$148,600median home value (North Carolina $288,900, US $332,700)
1974median year homes were built (North Carolina 1991, US 1980)
62%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
26.2%of homes are mobile homes, which are the least safe in tornadoes and high winds

Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 9,954 housing units.

Compare in North Carolina

All 100 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Wake CountyHighInland flooding
Mecklenburg CountyHighInland flooding
Guilford CountyModerateInland flooding
Forsyth CountyModerateInland flooding
Cumberland CountyModerateInland flooding
Durham CountyModerateInland flooding
Buncombe CountyModerateInland flooding
Union CountyModerateInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Union CountyModerate19
Stanly CountyLow19
Chesterfield County, SCLow24
Richmond CountyLow18
Marlboro County, SCLow24
Montgomery CountyLow22

Common questions about Anson County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Anson County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Anson County, about $4.3 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hurricane is second at $1.9 million.

How many federal disasters has Anson County had?

Anson County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 9 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.

Is Anson County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 76th highest of 100 in North Carolina. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.

Do I need flood insurance in Anson County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.

How many tornadoes has Anson County had?

NOAA records list 7 tornadoes in Anson County since 1950. The strongest was an EF2 tornado on April 13, 2020 near Morven. The weather service has also logged 53 hail reports and 44 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Anson County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 3 hurricanes and 32 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Anson County. The strongest was Hurricane Hugo (1989), with winds near 85 mph.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.