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Granville County, North Carolina

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

Relatively Low overall risk
68th of 100highest risk in North Carolina
$20Mexpected losses a year
24federal declarations
1 in 500homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Granville County, North Carolina has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 59% of US counties. It ranks 68th of 100 counties in North Carolina. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, hurricanes and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $20 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $328 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (11 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 39 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $196,000 on 15 claims here.

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

Top risks in Granville County

$10.4 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.

Hurricane

Moderate
$3.8 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 7 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
$2.3 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 floodingLow65.2
$10M
HurricaneModerate85.4
$4M
TornadoModerate67.9
$2M
Heat waveLow70.5
$894K
DroughtModerate74.8
$666K
EarthquakeLow62.1
$492K
HailLow64.4
$421K
Strong windLow36.5
$353K
LightningLow52.5
$245K
Cold waveVery Low20.2
$219K
Winter weatherModerate77.4
$174K
Ice stormLow51.6
$87K
WildfireVery Low35.3
$19K
LandslideVery Low25.0
$184

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 moderate and community resilience is relatively moderate in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Hurricane12
Snowstorm3
Severe Ice Storm3
Tropical Storm2
Drought1
Tornado1

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
Jan 31, 2019Tropical Storm MichaelMajor disaster
Sep 14, 2018Hurricane FlorenceMajor disaster
Sep 10, 2018Hurricane FlorenceEmergency
Oct 7, 2016Hurricane MatthewEmergency
Show all 24
Mar 31, 2014Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 18, 2003Hurricane IsabelMajor disaster
Mar 27, 2003Ice StormMajor 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
Jan 13, 1996Blizzard of 96Major disaster
Mar 17, 1993Severe Snowfall & Winter StormEmergency
May 17, 1989TornadoesMajor disaster
Aug 11, 1977DroughtEmergency
Mar 2, 1977Drought & FreezingEmergency

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

Storm history since 1952

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 306 storm reports in Granville County since 1952, with 0 deaths and 3 injuries and about $5.1 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF2 tornado on February 24, 2016 near Huntsboro.

9tornadoes
95hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
169damaging thunderstorm winds
25floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Feb 24, 2016EF2Huntsboro0 / 0
Nov 19, 1952F2–1 / 0
Oct 27, 1995F2Corinth0 / 0
Mar 20, 1998F2Berea0 / 0
May 5, 1989F1–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
May 5, 1989Tornado–$3M
Feb 24, 2016TornadoHuntsboro$500K
Nov 19, 1952Tornado–$250K
Aug 29, 1988Tornado–$250K
Oct 27, 1995TornadoCorinth$250K
Jul 20, 2006LightningCreedmoor$250K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 19, 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 1854, 3 hurricanes and 28 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Granville County, 12 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1893, with top winds near 90 mph about 48 miles away.

3hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
28tropical storms
2023most recent: Ophelia

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 13, 1893UnnamedCategory 1, 90 mph48 mi
Sep 29, 1896UnnamedCategory 1, 80 mph51 mi
Sep 18, 2003IsabelCategory 1, 75 mph60 mi
Oct 31, 1899UnnamedTropical storm, 70 mph47 mi
Sep 6, 1996FranTropical storm, 70 mph59 mi
Aug 28, 1893UnnamedTropical storm, 70 mph63 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 23, 2023OpheliaTropical storm, 45 mph64 mi
Jul 8, 2021ElsaTropical storm, 50 mph58 mi
Aug 4, 2020IsaiasTropical storm, 70 mph62 mi
Oct 11, 2018MichaelTropical storm, 55 mph42 mi
Sep 6, 2008HannaTropical storm, 50 mph52 mi
Sep 18, 2003IsabelCategory 1, 75 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 Granville County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (39 policies)
8.9%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$195,670paid on 15 flood claims since 1978
2018costliest year, with $68,711 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 Granville County

$247,700median home value (North Carolina $288,900, US $332,700)
1992median year homes were built (North Carolina 1991, US 1980)
33%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
19%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; 24,787 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
Wake CountyHigh24
Durham CountyModerate23
Franklin CountyLow21
Vance CountyLow21
Person CountyVery Low25
Halifax County, VALow22
Mecklenburg County, VALow18

Common questions about Granville County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Granville County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Granville County, about $10.4 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hurricane is second at $3.8 million.

How many federal disasters has Granville County had?

Granville County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 11 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.

Is Granville County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 68th 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 Granville County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 500 homes in Granville 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 Granville County had?

NOAA records list 9 tornadoes in Granville County since 1950. The strongest was an EF2 tornado on February 24, 2016 near Huntsboro. The weather service has also logged 95 hail reports and 25 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Granville County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 3 hurricanes and 28 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Granville County. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1893, with winds near 90 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.