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Camden County, North Carolina

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

Very Low overall risk
100th of 100highest risk in North Carolina
$3Mexpected losses a year
21federal declarations
1 in 7homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

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

$1.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 years.
  • 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.
$1.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 4 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.
$197,407 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 3 times a year.
  • 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingVery Low6.3
$1M
HurricaneLow72.4
$1M
Coastal floodingLow50.2
$197K
TornadoVery Low13.6
$175K
Heat waveVery Low24.0
$133K
Cold waveVery Low10.8
$128K
Strong windVery Low10.7
$117K
LightningVery Low16.9
$86K
Winter weatherLow38.2
$63K
DroughtLow32.9
$50K
HailVery Low8.1
$35K
EarthquakeVery Low12.4
$19K
WildfireVery Low24.0
$15K
Ice stormVery Low13.3
$11K
LandslideVery Low2.1
$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

Hurricane16
Tropical Storm2
Snowstorm1
Severe Storm1
Winter 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
Oct 4, 2019Hurricane DorianMajor disaster
Sep 3, 2019Hurricane DorianEmergency
Sep 10, 2018Hurricane FlorenceEmergency
Oct 10, 2016Hurricane MatthewMajor disaster
Oct 7, 2016Hurricane MatthewEmergency
Show all 21
Aug 31, 2011Hurricane IreneMajor disaster
Aug 25, 2011Hurricane IreneEmergency
Oct 14, 2010Severe Storms, Flooding, and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Sep 1, 2010Hurricane EarlEmergency
Sep 14, 2005Hurricane OpheliaEmergency
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 18, 2003Hurricane IsabelMajor disaster
Sep 16, 1999Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster DeclarationsMajor disaster
Sep 15, 1999Hurricane Floyd Emergency DeclarationsEmergency
Aug 27, 1998Hurricane BonnieMajor disaster
Jan 13, 1996Blizzard of 96Major disaster

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.

5tornadoes
19hail reports, largest 1.5 inches
50damaging thunderstorm winds
21floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 25, 2014EF2Chantilly0 / 0
Jul 8, 2021EF0Taylors Beach0 / 0
May 5, 2017EF0Chantilly0 / 0
Mar 2, 1991F0–0 / 0
Jul 2, 2005F0South Mills0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Oct 8, 2016FloodSouth Mills$500K
Apr 25, 2014TornadoChantilly$100K
Jul 8, 2021TornadoTaylors Beach$20K
May 5, 2017TornadoChantilly$15K
Jul 3, 2023LightningShiloh$10K
Aug 24, 2002Thunderstorm WindCamden$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.

23hurricanes
2major hurricanes (Category 3+)
39tropical storms
2021most recent: Claudette

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 18, 1899UnnamedCategory 3, 115 mph63 mi
Aug 18, 1879UnnamedCategory 3, 110 mph64 mi
Oct 23, 1878UnnamedCategory 2, 105 mph65 mi
Sep 27, 1985GloriaCategory 2, 100 mph52 mi
Jul 4, 2014ArthurCategory 2, 100 mph63 mi
Sep 12, 1960DonnaCategory 2, 100 mph62 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Jun 21, 2021ClaudetteTropical storm, 45 mph56 mi
Jul 4, 2014ArthurCategory 2, 100 mph63 mi
Aug 27, 2011IreneCategory 1, 75 mph59 mi
Sep 9, 2007GabrielleTropical storm, 50 mph61 mi
Aug 30, 2004GastonTropical storm, 40 mph64 mi
Sep 18, 2003IsabelCategory 1, 90 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 Camden County

Check your address flood zone ›
13.7%of homes have federal flood insurance (612 policies)
50.8%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$3.4 millionpaid on 285 flood claims since 1978
2016costliest year, with $1.4 million 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 Camden County

$337,100median home value (North Carolina $288,900, US $332,700)
1999median year homes were built (North Carolina 1991, US 1980)
21%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
13%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; 4,301 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
Chesapeake City, VALow16
Suffolk City, VALow17
Pasquotank CountyLow21
Currituck CountyVery Low22
Gates CountyVery Low20
Tyrrell CountyLow23

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.