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Perquimans County, North Carolina

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

Very Low overall risk
89th of 100highest risk in North Carolina
$9Mexpected losses a year
22federal declarations
1 in 17homes with flood insurance
Photo: CC0

Perquimans County, North Carolina has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 62% of US counties. It ranks 89th of 100 counties in North Carolina. The costliest hazards here are hurricanes, inland flooding and strong wind. FEMA estimates about $9.4 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $724 per resident. Since 1968 it has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (9 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). About 1 in 17 homes here carry federal flood insurance (396 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $976,000 on 160 claims here.

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

Top risks in Perquimans County

Hurricane

Moderate
$5.7 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 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.
$1.5 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 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.

Strong wind

Moderate
$601,259 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 1 years.
  • Secure outdoor furniture and trash bins before storms.
  • Have trees near the house checked.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
HurricaneModerate89.7
$6M
Inland floodingVery Low15.9
$2M
Strong windModerate61.0
$601K
TornadoLow35.2
$543K
Heat waveLow53.2
$348K
Cold waveVery Low19.6
$173K
Coastal floodingLow52.2
$135K
LightningLow35.1
$106K
DroughtLow45.1
$80K
Winter weatherModerate63.1
$80K
HailVery Low18.7
$52K
EarthquakeVery Low22.5
$28K
Ice stormVery Low20.5
$13K
WildfireVery Low29.1
$11K
LandslideVery Low8.0
$14

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 relatively moderate in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Hurricane16
Tropical Storm2
Severe Ice Storm1
Tornado1
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
May 8, 2020Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 4, 2019Hurricane DorianMajor disaster
Sep 3, 2019Hurricane DorianEmergency
Sep 10, 2018Hurricane FlorenceEmergency
Oct 10, 2016Hurricane MatthewMajor disaster
Show all 22
Oct 7, 2016Hurricane MatthewEmergency
Aug 31, 2011Hurricane IreneMajor disaster
Aug 25, 2011Hurricane IreneEmergency
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
Mar 30, 1984Severe Storms & TornadoesMajor disaster
Feb 10, 1968Severe Ice StormMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1955

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 143 storm reports in Perquimans County since 1955, with 2 deaths and 9 injuries and about $3.2 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on March 28, 1984.

14tornadoes
23hail reports, largest 2 inches
58damaging thunderstorm winds
14floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Mar 28, 1984F2–1 / 1
Apr 25, 2014EF2Yeopim0 / 0
Apr 25, 2014EF2Bethel0 / 0
Jul 16, 1967F2–0 / 0
Mar 17, 2025EF1Woodsville8 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 25, 2014TornadoYeopim$1M
Apr 25, 2014TornadoBethel$1M
Mar 28, 1984Tornado–$250K
Oct 8, 2016FloodBethel$200K
Mar 17, 2025TornadoWoodsville$185K
Sep 15, 1999TornadoDurants Neck$125K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Mar 17, 2025. 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, 22 hurricanes and 45 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Perquimans County, 34 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1899, with top winds near 115 mph about 64 miles away.

22hurricanes
2major hurricanes (Category 3+)
45tropical storms
2023most recent: Ophelia

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 18, 1899UnnamedCategory 3, 115 mph64 mi
Aug 18, 1879UnnamedCategory 3, 110 mph52 mi
Oct 23, 1878UnnamedCategory 2, 105 mph64 mi
Sep 27, 1985GloriaCategory 2, 100 mph61 mi
Jul 4, 2014ArthurCategory 2, 100 mph65 mi
Sep 12, 1960DonnaCategory 2, 100 mph49 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 23, 2023OpheliaTropical storm, 50 mph60 mi
Jun 21, 2021ClaudetteTropical storm, 45 mph65 mi
Aug 4, 2020IsaiasTropical storm, 70 mph59 mi
Jul 4, 2014ArthurCategory 2, 100 mph65 mi
Aug 27, 2011IreneCategory 1, 75 mph56 mi
Sep 9, 2007GabrielleTropical storm, 50 mph59 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 Perquimans County

Check your address flood zone ›
6%of homes have federal flood insurance (396 policies)
74.8%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$975,647paid on 160 flood claims since 1978
2003costliest year, with $706,627 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 Perquimans County

$231,700median home value (North Carolina $288,900, US $332,700)
1991median year homes were built (North Carolina 1991, US 1980)
36%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
22.9%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; 6,967 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
Pasquotank CountyLow21
Chowan CountyVery Low24
Washington CountyLow22
Gates CountyVery Low20
Tyrrell CountyLow23

Common questions about Perquimans County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Perquimans County?

Hurricane has the highest expected yearly losses in Perquimans County, about $5.7 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $1.5 million.

How many federal disasters has Perquimans County had?

Perquimans County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1968, including 9 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.

Is Perquimans County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 89th 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 Perquimans County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 17 homes in Perquimans 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 Perquimans County had?

NOAA records list 14 tornadoes in Perquimans County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on March 28, 1984. The weather service has also logged 23 hail reports and 14 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Perquimans County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 22 hurricanes and 45 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Perquimans 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.