Cumberland County, Maine
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Trim branches that hang over the roof or power lines.
- Plan for several days without power.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 72.3 | $27M | ||
| Hurricane | 90.7 | $16M | ||
| Ice storm | 98.2 | $6M | ||
| Coastal flooding | 78.4 | $4M | ||
| Winter weather | 99.0 | $3M | ||
| Earthquake | 81.1 | $3M | ||
| Cold wave | 60.7 | $3M | ||
| Strong wind | 77.4 | $2M | ||
| Lightning | 85.0 | $2M | ||
| Hail | 76.0 | $1M | ||
| Heat wave | 59.2 | $1M | ||
| Tornado | 25.5 | $703K | ||
| Drought | 41.0 | $136K | ||
| Wildfire | 38.9 | $45K | ||
| Landslide | 63.2 | $6K | ||
| Avalanche | 5.1 | $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
Most recent
Show all 35
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.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 9, 1962 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 11, 1971 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 22, 1974 | F1 | – | 1 / 0 |
| Jul 1, 2017 | EF1 | Bridgton | 1 / 0 |
| Jul 1, 2017 | EF1 | West Bridgton | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 21, 1996 | Flash Flood | Countywide | $15M |
| Apr 16, 2007 | Flood | Portland | $8M |
| Aug 13, 2014 | Flash Flood | Portland | $800K |
| Aug 8, 2008 | Flood | Freeport | $581K |
| Oct 22, 1996 | Flash Flood | Westbrook | $500K |
| Oct 10, 1998 | Flash Flood | Countywide | $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.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 4, 1869 | Unnamed | Category 2, 105 mph | 54 mi |
| Sep 9, 1869 | Unnamed | Category 1, 85 mph | 30 mi |
| Aug 19, 1991 | Bob | Category 1, 80 mph | 56 mi |
| Sep 13, 1960 | Donna | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 32 mi |
| Sep 30, 1874 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 54 mi |
| Sep 16, 1858 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 42 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 14, 1996 | Bertha | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 49 mi |
| Aug 19, 1991 | Bob | Category 1, 80 mph | 56 mi |
| Aug 28, 1971 | Doria | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 62 mi |
| Sep 26, 1961 | Esther | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 52 mi |
| Sep 13, 1960 | Donna | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 32 mi |
| Jul 31, 1960 | Brenda | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 45 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 ›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
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 counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Cumberland County | Inland flooding | |
| York County | Inland flooding | |
| Penobscot County | Inland flooding | |
| Kennebec County | Inland flooding | |
| Androscoggin County | Inland flooding | |
| Aroostook County | Cold wave | |
| Oxford County | Inland flooding | |
| Hancock County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| York County | 38 | |
| Androscoggin County | 29 | |
| Oxford County | 35 | |
| Sagadahoc County | 21 |
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.