Ranked from NOAA 1991-2020 Climate Normals
Wettest Counties in North Carolina
Total annual precipitation by county, wettest first. Rainfall drives roof and siding wear, basement water, and in much of the country the flood component of the insurance premium. Figures are NOAA 1991-2020 Climate Normals from the weather station nearest each county seat, so they describe a thirty-year average rather than any single year.
Where does yours land?
Every county in America is somewhere on this scale, including the one you live in.
North Carolina ranked
| # | County | Annual rainfall | FEMA risk rating | Median home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Transylvania County | 75.6" | Relatively Low | $336,100 |
| 2 | Swain County | 73.9" | Relatively Low | $209,800 |
| 3 | New Hanover County | 65.1" | Relatively High | $353,700 |
| 4 | Avery County | 64.8" | Relatively Low | $233,200 |
| 5 | Polk County | 64.3" | Very Low | $281,100 |
| 6 | Graham County | 63.6" | Very Low | $155,800 |
| 7 | Pender County | 60.1" | Relatively Moderate | $267,100 |
| 8 | Cherokee County | 59.3" | Relatively Low | $208,700 |
| 9 | Clay County | 59.3" | Very Low | $263,300 |
| 10 | Watauga County | 59.1" | Relatively Low | $321,500 |
| 11 | Henderson County | 59.0" | Relatively Moderate | $317,800 |
| 12 | Pamlico County | 58.8" | Relatively Low | $209,800 |
| 13 | Alleghany County | 57.1" | Very Low | $199,000 |
| 14 | McDowell County | 56.6" | Relatively Low | $168,300 |
| 15 | Brunswick County | 56.5" | Relatively High | $314,700 |
| 16 | Onslow County | 56.5" | Relatively High | $219,500 |
| 17 | Carteret County | 55.7" | Relatively Moderate | $304,200 |
| 18 | Macon County | 55.5" | Relatively Low | $229,000 |
| 19 | Tyrrell County | 55.3" | Relatively Low | $138,400 |
| 20 | Washington County | 54.6" | Relatively Low | $107,000 |
| 21 | Jackson County | 54.2" | Relatively Low | $253,900 |
| 22 | Pitt County | 53.4" | Relatively Moderate | $194,300 |
| 23 | Hyde County | 53.4" | Relatively Low | $119,600 |
| 24 | Bladen County | 53.3" | Relatively Moderate | $125,800 |
| 25 | Martin County | 53.2" | Relatively Low | $109,900 |
| 26 | Craven County | 53.0" | Relatively Moderate | $206,200 |
| 27 | Jones County | 53.0" | Relatively Low | $122,600 |
| 28 | Lenoir County | 52.9" | Relatively Moderate | $111,400 |
| 29 | Alexander County | 52.6" | Relatively Low | $190,000 |
| 30 | Wayne County | 52.3" | Relatively Moderate | $162,700 |
| 31 | Rutherford County | 52.1" | Relatively Low | $180,800 |
| 32 | Duplin County | 52.0" | Relatively Moderate | $123,200 |
| 33 | Wilkes County | 51.7" | Relatively Moderate | $161,400 |
| 34 | Beaufort County | 51.6" | Relatively Moderate | $181,200 |
| 35 | Burke County | 51.5" | Relatively Low | $170,500 |
| 36 | Sampson County | 51.0" | Relatively Moderate | $128,400 |
| 37 | Chowan County | 51.0" | Very Low | $204,400 |
| 38 | Ashe County | 51.0" | Relatively Low | $221,900 |
| 39 | Northampton County | 50.9" | Relatively Low | $102,200 |
| 40 | Columbus County | 50.9" | Relatively Moderate | $128,300 |
| 41 | Greene County | 50.6" | Relatively Low | $114,000 |
| 42 | Surry County | 50.5" | Relatively Low | $166,400 |
| 43 | Cleveland County | 50.4" | Relatively Low | $180,200 |
| 44 | Wilson County | 50.3" | Relatively Low | $171,800 |
| 45 | Haywood County | 50.2" | Relatively Low | $254,900 |
| 46 | Caldwell County | 49.7" | Relatively Low | $174,000 |
| 47 | Hertford County | 49.6" | Relatively Low | $111,100 |
| 48 | Lincoln County | 49.5" | Relatively Low | $279,500 |
| 49 | Richmond County | 49.5" | Relatively Low | $120,800 |
| 50 | Bertie County | 49.5" | Relatively Low | $95,800 |
| 51 | Johnston County | 49.4" | Relatively Moderate | $267,600 |
| 52 | Wake County | 49.4" | Relatively High | $422,800 |
| 53 | Durham County | 48.6" | Relatively Moderate | $351,700 |
| 54 | Hoke County | 48.6" | Relatively Low | $196,000 |
| 55 | Franklin County | 48.3" | Relatively Low | $240,900 |
| 56 | Stanly County | 48.3" | Relatively Low | $214,300 |
| 57 | Caswell County | 48.1" | Very Low | $151,200 |
| 58 | Montgomery County | 48.1" | Relatively Low | $150,300 |
| 59 | Cumberland County | 47.9" | Relatively Moderate | $183,700 |
| 60 | Cabarrus County | 47.9" | Relatively Moderate | $318,600 |
| 61 | Moore County | 47.8" | Relatively Low | $315,300 |
| 62 | Union County | 47.8" | Relatively Moderate | $374,400 |
| 63 | Anson County | 47.8" | Relatively Low | $119,300 |
| 64 | Rockingham County | 47.8" | Relatively Low | $156,000 |
| 65 | Warren County | 47.7" | Relatively Low | $124,700 |
| 66 | Edgecombe County | 47.6" | Relatively Low | $116,800 |
| 67 | Stokes County | 47.4" | Very Low | $186,800 |
| 68 | Person County | 47.3" | Very Low | $192,800 |
| 69 | Davie County | 46.9" | Very Low | $235,300 |
| 70 | Lee County | 46.9" | Relatively Low | $213,800 |
| 71 | Orange County | 46.7" | Relatively Low | $428,500 |
| 72 | Iredell County | 46.6" | Relatively Low | $292,300 |
| 73 | Harnett County | 46.6" | Relatively Low | $220,700 |
| 74 | Catawba County | 46.6" | Relatively Low | $218,100 |
| 75 | Randolph County | 46.6" | Relatively Low | $171,600 |
| 76 | Yadkin County | 46.6" | Very Low | $176,400 |
| 77 | Granville County | 46.6" | Relatively Low | $235,700 |
| 78 | Vance County | 46.6" | Relatively Low | $146,300 |
| 79 | Dare County | 46.5" | Relatively Moderate | $425,400 |
| 80 | Camden County | 46.5" | Very Low | $289,800 |
| 81 | Currituck County | 46.5" | Very Low | $351,200 |
| 82 | Gates County | 46.5" | Very Low | $163,900 |
| 83 | Pasquotank County | 46.5" | Relatively Low | $223,300 |
| 84 | Perquimans County | 46.5" | Very Low | $211,600 |
| 85 | Guilford County | 45.9" | Relatively Moderate | $234,900 |
| 86 | Mitchell County | 45.9" | Very Low | $202,100 |
| 87 | Yancey County | 45.9" | Very Low | $222,300 |
| 88 | Davidson County | 45.5" | Relatively Moderate | $200,100 |
| 89 | Halifax County | 44.4" | Relatively Low | $102,500 |
| 90 | Nash County | 44.4" | Relatively Low | $171,100 |
| 91 | Gaston County | 44.0" | Relatively Moderate | $235,000 |
| 92 | Rowan County | 43.7" | Relatively Moderate | $216,100 |
| 93 | Mecklenburg County | 43.6" | Relatively High | $371,200 |
| 94 | Chatham County | 43.6" | Relatively Low | $397,800 |
| 95 | Alamance County | 43.3" | Relatively Low | $221,200 |
| 96 | Forsyth County | 43.2" | Relatively Moderate | $227,800 |
| 97 | Robeson County | 42.6" | Relatively Moderate | $88,600 |
| 98 | Madison County | 41.6" | Very Low | $263,500 |
| 99 | Buncombe County | 40.6" | Relatively Moderate | $360,000 |
| 100 | Scotland County | 40.2" | Relatively Low | $109,900 |
Every figure is modelled on the county's own median home with 20% down at 7.03%. Property tax and electricity are county and state specific; homeowners insurance uses the NAIC average premium for that state, which ranges from 0.16% of home value in Hawaii to 1.16% in Oklahoma. Maintenance and water are national estimates. Full methodology.
Nationwide
Wettest Counties across all 3,133 US counties · Every county in North Carolina