Hamilton, NC
Hamilton wildfire risk explained
Out of every US place USFS scores, Hamilton lands at the 47th percentile for wildfire risk to structures — modestly above the national average for wildfire risk — a figure built from its 298 buildings, not the land around them. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Hamilton's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 48th percentile nationally.
Where Hamilton's buildings actually sit
USFS classifies 55.7% of Hamilton's buildings as Direct exposure, higher than its 44.3% Indirect share and far above its 0% Minimal share — a profile where 166 structures sit close enough to vegetation that lot clearing matters most.
Where Hamilton ranks
Hamilton ranks lower within North Carolina (31st percentile statewide) than its 47th national percentile suggests alone — a calmer spot in a state where wildfire risk generally runs high. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Hamilton ranks 16,712 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 21,686 by building count (1 is largest). Within North Carolina alone, it ranks 528 of 772 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for North Carolina on its state page.
Hamilton and the insurance market
Hamilton's elevated wildfire rating (47th percentile) isn't the kind of score driving the carrier pullback making news in the highest-risk Western markets — but a standard homeowners quote is still worth comparing on its own terms.
Lowering exposure, not just insuring around it
With 55.7% of Hamilton in Direct exposure, defensible-space clearing and ember-resistant construction (vents, Class-A roofing) address the exposure this page's own numbers describe, not a generic checklist. See the home-hardening guide.
More on how this number was built
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 298 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Hamilton. For more on what direct exposure implies beyond Hamilton, see the exposure-zones guide.