Home › Maine › Cumberland County

Cumberland County, Maine

Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.

Relatively Low overall risk
4th of 16highest risk in Maine
$69Mexpected losses a year
35federal declarations
1 in 77homes with flood insurance
Photo: Seasider53, CC BY 4.0

Cumberland County, Maine has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 77% of US counties. It ranks 4th of 16 counties in Maine. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, hurricanes and ice storms. FEMA estimates about $69 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $228 per resident. Since 1970 it has been included in 35 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (24 major disasters). The most recent was in May 2024 (severe winter storm). About 1 in 77 homes here carry federal flood insurance (1,320 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $5.5 million on 504 claims here, including $2.2 million for floods in 2024.

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.

Top risks in Cumberland County

$26.9 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 2 times a year.
  • Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
  • Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.

Hurricane

Moderate
$16 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 9 years.
  • Know your evacuation zone and route before June 1.
  • Ask about roof age, shutters and the separate wind or hurricane deductible on your home policy.

Ice storm

Very High
$5.7 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 2 times a year.
  • Trim branches that hang over the roof or power lines.
  • Plan for several days without power.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow72.3
$27M
HurricaneModerate90.7
$16M
Ice stormVery High98.2
$6M
Coastal floodingModerate78.4
$4M
Winter weatherVery High99.0
$3M
EarthquakeLow81.1
$3M
Cold waveLow60.7
$3M
Strong windModerate77.4
$2M
LightningHigh85.0
$2M
HailModerate76.0
$1M
Heat waveLow59.2
$1M
TornadoVery Low25.5
$703K
DroughtLow41.0
$136K
WildfireVery Low38.9
$45K
LandslideLow63.2
$6K
AvalancheVery Low5.1
$4

Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is very low and community resilience is very high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Cumberland County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm12
Flood8
Snowstorm8
Hurricane4
Coastal Storm1
Freezing1

Most recent

May 24, 2024Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Mar 20, 2024Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 14, 2023Hurricane LeeEmergency
Jan 2, 2018Severe Storm and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 12, 2015Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 25, 2013Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 25, 2010Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Jan 9, 2009Severe Winter Storm and FloodingMajor disaster
Dec 15, 2008Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 9, 2008Severe Storms, Flooding, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Show all 35
Apr 25, 2007Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 19, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Apr 21, 2005Record SnowEmergency
Apr 1, 2005SnowEmergency
Mar 14, 2005Record And/Or Near Record SnowEmergency
Mar 14, 2005Record And/Or Near Record SnowEmergency
Jan 15, 2004SnowEmergency
May 14, 2003Severe Winter Cold and FrostMajor disaster
Mar 20, 2001SnowEmergency
Nov 18, 1999Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster DeclarationsMajor disaster
Jan 21, 1999Me - Flooding 10/16/98Major disaster
Jan 13, 1998Severe Ice Storms, Rains and High WindsMajor disaster
Oct 28, 1996Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 24, 1996Severe Storm,Heavy Rains, Flooding, High WindsEmergency
May 20, 1996Severe Storms, Mudslides, FloodingMajor disaster
May 11, 1993Heavy Rain, Snowmelt, Ice Jams & FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 15, 1993Blizzards, Severe Winds & Snowfall, Coastal StormEmergency
Mar 27, 1992Heavy Rains, Ice Jams & FloodingMajor disaster
Nov 7, 1991Coastal StormMajor disaster
Aug 28, 1991Hurricane Bob & FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 7, 1989Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 9, 1987Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 17, 1978High Winds, Tidal Surge & Coastal FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 7, 1972Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 27, 1970Severe Storms, Ice Jams & FloodingMajor disaster

Maine also had 6 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1953

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 604 storm reports in Cumberland County since 1953, with 4 deaths and 18 injuries and about $31.3 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F1 tornado on July 9, 1962.

13tornadoes
147hail reports, largest 4 inches
325damaging thunderstorm winds
70floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jul 9, 1962F1–0 / 0
Aug 11, 1971F1–0 / 0
Jun 22, 1974F1–1 / 0
Jul 1, 2017EF1Bridgton1 / 0
Jul 1, 2017EF1West Bridgton0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Oct 21, 1996Flash FloodCountywide$15M
Apr 16, 2007FloodPortland$8M
Aug 13, 2014Flash FloodPortland$800K
Aug 8, 2008FloodFreeport$581K
Oct 22, 1996Flash FloodWestbrook$500K
Oct 10, 1998Flash FloodCountywide$463K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 2, 2026. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.

Hurricanes and tropical storms

Hurricane risk by county ›

Since 1858, 3 hurricanes and 13 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Cumberland County, 6 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1869, with top winds near 105 mph about 54 miles away.

3hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
13tropical storms
1996most recent: Bertha

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 4, 1869UnnamedCategory 2, 105 mph54 mi
Sep 9, 1869UnnamedCategory 1, 85 mph30 mi
Aug 19, 1991BobCategory 1, 80 mph56 mi
Sep 13, 1960DonnaTropical storm, 70 mph32 mi
Sep 30, 1874UnnamedTropical storm, 70 mph54 mi
Sep 16, 1858UnnamedTropical storm, 70 mph42 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Jul 14, 1996BerthaTropical storm, 65 mph49 mi
Aug 19, 1991BobCategory 1, 80 mph56 mi
Aug 28, 1971DoriaTropical storm, 50 mph62 mi
Sep 26, 1961EstherTropical storm, 45 mph52 mi
Sep 13, 1960DonnaTropical storm, 70 mph32 mi
Jul 31, 1960BrendaTropical storm, 45 mph45 mi

Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center best-track records (HURDAT2), 1851 to 2025 for the Atlantic and 1949 to 2025 for the eastern Pacific. A storm counts if its track passed within 65 miles of the county's center while it was a tropical storm or hurricane. Strength is the storm's top sustained wind at that point, not the wind measured in the county. Older storms over the open sea were sometimes missed.

Flood insurance in Cumberland County

Check your address flood zone ›
1.3%of homes have federal flood insurance (1,320 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$5.5 millionpaid on 504 flood claims since 1978
2024costliest year, with $2.2 million paid

National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.

Homes in Cumberland County

$451,200median home value (Maine $296,600, US $332,700)
1976median year homes were built (Maine 1977, US 1980)
55%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
4%of homes are mobile homes, which are the least safe in tornadoes and high winds

Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 153,286 housing units.

Compare in Maine

All 16 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Cumberland CountyLowInland flooding
York CountyModerateInland flooding
Penobscot CountyLowInland flooding
Kennebec CountyLowInland flooding
Androscoggin CountyLowInland flooding
Aroostook CountyLowCold wave
Oxford CountyLowInland flooding
Hancock CountyLowInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
York CountyModerate38
Androscoggin CountyLow29
Oxford CountyLow35
Sagadahoc CountyVery Low21

Cities in Cumberland County

Common questions about Cumberland County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Cumberland County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Cumberland County, about $26.9 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hurricane is second at $16 million.

How many federal disasters has Cumberland County had?

Cumberland County has been included in 35 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1970, including 24 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in May 2024.

Is Cumberland County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 4th highest of 16 in Maine. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.

Do I need flood insurance in Cumberland County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 77 homes in Cumberland County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.

How many tornadoes has Cumberland County had?

NOAA records list 13 tornadoes in Cumberland County since 1950. The strongest was an F1 tornado on July 9, 1962. The weather service has also logged 147 hail reports and 70 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Cumberland County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 3 hurricanes and 13 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Cumberland County. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1869, with winds near 105 mph.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.