Flood history · Morehead City, NC 28557
Flood insurance claims in Morehead City, NC 28557
687 claims since 1978 and $9.6 million paid. Here's what the public record shows, and how to check a specific address.
Claims by year
Every NFIP flood insurance claim reported in ZIP 28557 since 1978.
What the record says
About 30% of claims here were on properties rated outside high-risk zones (zones X, B or C). A lower-risk zone on the map is not a guarantee.
Losses are spread across many events; the largest, Hurricane Florence, accounts for 35% of claims.
Flooding here is recent: 261 claims (38%) were in the last 10 years.
The most commonly recorded cause is tidal water overflow: coastal surge and high tides.
Morehead City, Town Of takes part in FEMA's Community Rating System (class 5), which can lower flood insurance premiums by up to 25% in high-risk zones.
Biggest flood events
| Event | Year | Claims | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Florence | 2018 | 238 | 35% |
| Hurricane Ophelia | 2005 | 92 | 13% |
| Hurricane Fran | 1996 | 73 | 11% |
| Hurricane Floyd | 1999 | 66 | 10% |
| Hurricane Bertha | 1996 | 37 | 5% |
| Hurricane Irene | 2011 | 27 | 4% |
Flood zone at time of claim
NFIP communities
Federal disaster declarations in Carteret County
Flood, hurricane and storm declarations since 2000.
19 flood, storm or hurricane declarations for Carteret County since 2000.
Check a specific address in Morehead City.
ZIP-level history is the backdrop. See the official FEMA flood zone, ground elevation and next steps for one property, free.
Nearby North Carolina ZIP codes
Sources: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims (v3) and Disaster Declarations Summaries, FEMA NFIP Community Status Book; place names from GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Data as of 2026-10-09. Payments are net building + contents payments in dollars at the time paid, not adjusted for inflation. Claims are grouped by the ZIP code reported on the claim. This product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA. Information only; not an official flood zone determination or insurance advice.
All North Carolina ZIP codes · All states · Flood zones explained