Highest climate-risk ZIP codes in North Carolina
Top 25 highest FEMA NRI climate-risk counties in North Carolina (one representative ZIP per county). #1 is 28269 (Charlotte) at score 97.1. Compare hazard exposure on US5.
FEMA’s National Risk Index is published at the county level on US5, so every ZIP in the same county shares the same composite score. This board shows one representative ZIP per county (the most populous code in that county) ranked by NRI — a relative signal of natural-hazard exposure for planning and insurance context.
Highest county scores on this board: Mecklenburg County (28269) at 97.1; New Hanover County (28412) at 96.1; Brunswick County (28451) at 95.8.
Open a representative ZIP for flood, wildfire, and hurricane component scores, plus a plain-language risk summary.
Open any ZIP for a full demographics, income, and housing profile, or return to the North Carolina state page for the complete ZIP table.
Ranked counties (representative ZIP)
FEMA NRI is county-level data. Each row shows the most populous ZIP in that county as a representative entry.
| # | ZIP | City | County | NRI risk score | Population | Income | Home value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 28269 | Charlotte | Mecklenburg County | 97.1 | 80,396 | $81,063 | $300,300 |
| 2 | 28412 | Wilmington | New Hanover County | 96.1 | 42,452 | $67,396 | $342,600 |
| 3 | 28451 | Leland | Brunswick County | 95.8 | 44,262 | $77,380 | $315,300 |
| 4 | 27587 | Wake Forest | Wake County | 95.5 | 81,902 | $125,607 | $452,400 |
| 5 | 28540 | Jacksonville | Onslow County | 95.0 | 50,808 | $61,462 | $201,700 |
| 6 | 28562 | New Bern | Craven County | 93.6 | 38,838 | $74,620 | $246,400 |
| 7 | 28570 | Newport | Carteret County | 93.5 | 21,435 | $69,018 | $245,300 |
| 8 | 27406 | Greensboro | Guilford County | 93.4 | 63,661 | $56,748 | $191,800 |
| 9 | 27284 | Kernersville | Forsyth County | 91.5 | 57,119 | $80,739 | $259,500 |
| 10 | 28358 | Lumberton | Robeson County | 91.1 | 33,745 | $46,756 | $106,200 |
| 11 | 27530 | Goldsboro | Wayne County | 90.4 | 37,442 | $55,507 | $176,500 |
| 12 | 28328 | Keener | Sampson County | 90.2 | 26,314 | $48,137 | $152,100 |
| 13 | 27858 | Greenville | Pitt County | 89.8 | 56,258 | $60,915 | $233,200 |
| 14 | 27703 | Durham | Durham County | 89.6 | 62,994 | $86,953 | $340,500 |
| 15 | 27948 | Kill Devil Hills | Dare County | 89.6 | 12,628 | $85,319 | $398,100 |
| 16 | 28314 | Fayetteville | Cumberland County | 89.5 | 56,200 | $60,036 | $172,000 |
| 17 | 28365 | Mount Olive | Duplin County | 89.4 | 15,008 | $52,333 | $119,000 |
| 18 | 28806 | Asheville | Buncombe County | 89.3 | 45,644 | $59,925 | $335,800 |
| 19 | 28173 | Waxhaw | Union County | 89.1 | 63,503 | $146,196 | $558,500 |
| 20 | 27889 | Washington | Beaufort County | 88.2 | 24,568 | $52,694 | $184,100 |
| 21 | 27107 | Winston-Salem | Davidson County | 87.2 | 51,305 | $59,897 | $201,700 |
| 22 | 28027 | Concord | Cabarrus County | 87.1 | 79,429 | $89,101 | $341,900 |
| 23 | 28443 | Hampstead | Pender County | 86.9 | 27,203 | $89,392 | $356,500 |
| 24 | 28472 | Whiteville | Columbus County | 86.9 | 17,833 | $48,963 | $141,000 |
| 25 | 27520 | Clayton | Johnston County | 85.6 | 48,662 | $84,545 | $282,200 |
Frequently asked questions
Which areas in North Carolina have the highest climate or disaster risk?
FEMA NRI scores are county-level on US5. Mecklenburg County ranks near the top at 97.1 (representative ZIP 28269). Higher scores indicate greater relative natural-hazard exposure.
How does US5 rank ZIP codes in North Carolina?
We rank one representative ZIP per county (highest population in the county) by FEMA NRI composite score from high to low. NRI is county-level data, so all ZIPs in a county share the same score.
Where can I explore all ZIP codes in North Carolina?
Visit the North Carolina state page for the full ZIP table, demographics summary, and sortable income/housing columns.