Home › North Carolina › Caswell County

Caswell County, North Carolina

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

Very Low overall risk
96th of 100highest risk in North Carolina
$6Mexpected losses a year
23federal declarations
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Caswell County, North Carolina has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 78% of US counties. It ranks 96th of 100 counties in North Carolina. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and hurricanes. FEMA estimates about $6.3 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $276 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (10 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 3 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 Caswell County

$3.5 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once 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.
$672,784 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 7 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.
$657,470 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 10 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow37.7
$4M
TornadoLow39.5
$673K
HurricaneLow73.6
$657K
DroughtModerate71.3
$456K
Strong windLow28.2
$218K
Heat waveVery Low36.9
$158K
HailLow39.5
$140K
Cold waveVery Low15.0
$123K
EarthquakeVery Low38.8
$114K
LightningLow32.5
$96K
Ice stormLow41.1
$45K
Winter weatherLow43.0
$41K
WildfireVery Low24.1
$8K
LandslideVery Low47.7
$949

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 relatively high and community resilience is very low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Hurricane11
Snowstorm4
Severe Ice Storm2
Tropical Storm2
Drought1
Severe Storm1

Most recent

Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 11, 2025Tropical Depression ChantalMajor disaster
Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
Aug 6, 2024Tropical Storm DebbyEmergency
Oct 1, 2022Hurricane IanEmergency
Aug 2, 2020Hurricane IsaiasEmergency
Sep 3, 2019Hurricane DorianEmergency
Jan 31, 2019Tropical Storm MichaelMajor disaster
Sep 10, 2018Hurricane FlorenceEmergency
Oct 7, 2016Hurricane MatthewEmergency
Show all 23
Mar 31, 2014Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 18, 2004Hurricane IvanMajor disaster
Mar 27, 2003Ice 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
Feb 23, 1996Winter StormMajor disaster
Jan 13, 1996Blizzard of 96Major disaster
Mar 17, 1993Severe Snowfall & Winter StormEmergency
Aug 11, 1977DroughtEmergency
Mar 2, 1977Drought & FreezingEmergency

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

Storm history since 1964

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 380 storm reports in Caswell County since 1964, with 0 deaths and 3 injuries and about $6.4 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on July 12, 1964.

7tornadoes
78hail reports, largest 2.5 inches
263damaging thunderstorm winds
24floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jul 12, 1964F2–1 / 0
Apr 16, 2011EF1Anderson0 / 0
Apr 15, 2018EF1Pelham0 / 0
Jul 25, 1996F1Milton0 / 0
Mar 4, 2008EF0Jericho0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Mar 4, 2008TornadoJericho$2M
Sep 6, 1996Flash FloodCountywide$950K
Jun 13, 2013Thunderstorm WindProvidence$750K
Oct 11, 2018Flash FloodPelham$500K
Apr 16, 2011TornadoAnderson$400K
Jul 12, 1964Tornado–$250K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 22, 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 1859, 2 hurricanes and 20 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Caswell County, 7 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1893, with top winds near 85 mph about 52 miles away.

2hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
20tropical storms
2021most recent: Elsa

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 13, 1893UnnamedCategory 1, 85 mph52 mi
Sep 29, 1896UnnamedCategory 1, 80 mph49 mi
Aug 28, 1893UnnamedTropical storm, 70 mph60 mi
Oct 31, 1899UnnamedTropical storm, 65 mph61 mi
Sep 6, 1996FranTropical storm, 65 mph57 mi
Sep 12, 1878UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph59 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Jul 8, 2021ElsaTropical storm, 50 mph65 mi
Oct 11, 2018MichaelTropical storm, 55 mph35 mi
Sep 6, 1996FranTropical storm, 65 mph57 mi
Sep 5, 1979DavidTropical storm, 45 mph55 mi
May 26, 1970AlmaTropical storm, 40 mph60 mi
Aug 17, 1955DianeTropical storm, 60 mph60 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 Caswell County

Check your address flood zone ›
0%of homes have federal flood insurance (3 policies)
3.3%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$0paid on 1 flood claims since 1978
1995costliest year

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 Caswell County

$164,500median home value (North Carolina $288,900, US $332,700)
1981median year homes were built (North Carolina 1991, US 1980)
48%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
22.6%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; 10,521 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
Alamance CountyLow25
Orange CountyLow24
Rockingham CountyLow23
Pittsylvania County, VALow25
Danville City, VALow16
Person CountyVery Low25
Halifax County, VALow22

Common questions about Caswell County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Caswell County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Caswell County, about $3.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $672,784.

How many federal disasters has Caswell County had?

Caswell County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 10 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.

Is Caswell County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 96th 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 Caswell 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 Caswell County had?

NOAA records list 7 tornadoes in Caswell County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on July 12, 1964. The weather service has also logged 78 hail reports and 24 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Caswell County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 2 hurricanes and 20 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Caswell County. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1893, 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.