West Marion, NC
West Marion wildfire risk explained
Out of every US place USFS scores, West Marion lands at the 58th percentile for wildfire risk to structures — modestly above the national average for wildfire risk — a figure built from its 673 buildings, not the land around them. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Fire likelihood alone (USFS's burn-probability figure) ranks West Marion at the 61st national percentile — 3 points above its risk-to-structures score, a gap driven by how much is actually built there.
West Marion's building exposure, zone by zone
Direct exposure dominates in West Marion: 89.6% of its 673 buildings, versus 10.4% Indirect and 0% Minimal. Clearing space around a structure changes the outcome here more than any single building-material swap.
Where West Marion ranks
West Marion's risk sits at a similar level relative to North Carolina (57th percentile statewide) as it does nationally (58th) — this place isn't unusual for its own state either way. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, West Marion ranks 13,151 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 14,942 by building count (1 is largest). Within North Carolina alone, it ranks 336 of 772 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for North Carolina on its state page.
What this risk score means for insurance
West Marion's elevated wildfire rating (58th 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
Because Direct exposure dominates in West Marion (89.6%), the highest-leverage fix is defensible space, not roofing or vents alone — covered in the home-hardening guide.
Where West Marion's figures come from
Every one of the two percentiles behind West Marion's 13,151-place national rank traces to USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities dataset — see the methodology guide. The exposure-zones guide covers what West Marion's dominant direct exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.