Camden County, North Carolina
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Camden County, North Carolina has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 98% of US counties. It ranks 100th of 100 counties in North Carolina. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, hurricanes and coastal flooding. FEMA estimates about $3.5 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $335 per resident. Since 1996 it has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (8 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). About 1 in 7 homes here carry federal flood insurance (612 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $3.4 million on 285 claims here, including $1.4 million for floods in 2016.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Camden County
- 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.
- 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.
- Learn your evacuation zone; it is set by surge risk, not by distance from the beach.
- Ask about flood insurance even outside a mapped high-risk zone.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 6.3 | $1M | ||
| Hurricane | 72.4 | $1M | ||
| Coastal flooding | 50.2 | $197K | ||
| Tornado | 13.6 | $175K | ||
| Heat wave | 24.0 | $133K | ||
| Cold wave | 10.8 | $128K | ||
| Strong wind | 10.7 | $117K | ||
| Lightning | 16.9 | $86K | ||
| Winter weather | 38.2 | $63K | ||
| Drought | 32.9 | $50K | ||
| Hail | 8.1 | $35K | ||
| Earthquake | 12.4 | $19K | ||
| Wildfire | 24.0 | $15K | ||
| Ice storm | 13.3 | $11K | ||
| Landslide | 2.1 | $3 |
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 low and community resilience is relatively high in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Camden County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 21
North Carolina also had 22 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1985
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 123 storm reports in Camden County since 1985 and about $760,000 in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF2 tornado on April 25, 2014 near Chantilly.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 25, 2014 | EF2 | Chantilly | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 8, 2021 | EF0 | Taylors Beach | 0 / 0 |
| May 5, 2017 | EF0 | Chantilly | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 2, 1991 | F0 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 2, 2005 | F0 | South Mills | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 8, 2016 | Flood | South Mills | $500K |
| Apr 25, 2014 | Tornado | Chantilly | $100K |
| Jul 8, 2021 | Tornado | Taylors Beach | $20K |
| May 5, 2017 | Tornado | Chantilly | $15K |
| Jul 3, 2023 | Lightning | Shiloh | $10K |
| Aug 24, 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Camden | $5K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 23, 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, 23 hurricanes and 39 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Camden County, 30 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1899, with top winds near 115 mph about 63 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 18, 1899 | Unnamed | Category 3, 115 mph | 63 mi |
| Aug 18, 1879 | Unnamed | Category 3, 110 mph | 64 mi |
| Oct 23, 1878 | Unnamed | Category 2, 105 mph | 65 mi |
| Sep 27, 1985 | Gloria | Category 2, 100 mph | 52 mi |
| Jul 4, 2014 | Arthur | Category 2, 100 mph | 63 mi |
| Sep 12, 1960 | Donna | Category 2, 100 mph | 62 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 21, 2021 | Claudette | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 56 mi |
| Jul 4, 2014 | Arthur | Category 2, 100 mph | 63 mi |
| Aug 27, 2011 | Irene | Category 1, 75 mph | 59 mi |
| Sep 9, 2007 | Gabrielle | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 61 mi |
| Aug 30, 2004 | Gaston | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 64 mi |
| Sep 18, 2003 | Isabel | Category 1, 90 mph | 62 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 Camden County
Check your address flood zone ›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 Camden County
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; 4,301 housing units.
Compare in North Carolina
All 100 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Wake County | Inland flooding | |
| Mecklenburg County | Inland flooding | |
| Guilford County | Inland flooding | |
| Forsyth County | Inland flooding | |
| Cumberland County | Inland flooding | |
| Durham County | Inland flooding | |
| Buncombe County | Inland flooding | |
| Union County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Chesapeake City, VA | 16 | |
| Suffolk City, VA | 17 | |
| Pasquotank County | 21 | |
| Currituck County | 22 | |
| Gates County | 20 | |
| Tyrrell County | 23 |
Common questions about Camden County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Camden County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Camden County, about $1.3 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hurricane is second at $1.1 million.
How many federal disasters has Camden County had?
Camden County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1996, including 8 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.
Is Camden County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 100th 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 Camden County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 7 homes in Camden County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.
How many tornadoes has Camden County had?
NOAA records list 5 tornadoes in Camden County since 1950. The strongest was an EF2 tornado on April 25, 2014 near Chantilly. The weather service has also logged 19 hail reports and 21 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Camden County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 23 hurricanes and 39 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Camden County, including 2 major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1899, with winds near 115 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.