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York County, Maine

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

Relatively Moderate overall risk
1st of 16highest risk in Maine
$56Mexpected losses a year
38federal declarations
1 in 29homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

York County, Maine has a moderate overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 82% of US counties. It ranks 1st of 16 counties in Maine. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, hurricanes and coastal flooding. FEMA estimates about $56 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $263 per resident. Since 1970 it has been included in 38 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (29 major disasters). The most recent was in May 2024 (severe winter storm). About 1 in 29 homes here carry federal flood insurance (2,796 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $45 million on 2,666 claims here, including $21 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 York County

$25.9 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once 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
$12.5 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 8 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.
$5.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 8 times a year.
  • Learn your evacuation zone; it is set by surge risk, not by distance from the beach.
  • Ask about flood insurance even outside a mapped high-risk zone.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingModerate81.3
$26M
HurricaneModerate91.5
$13M
Coastal floodingHigh86.6
$5M
Ice stormVery High98.3
$4M
EarthquakeLow83.8
$3M
TornadoLow46.5
$1M
Cold waveLow47.2
$1M
Strong windLow50.3
$682K
LightningModerate70.2
$620K
Heat waveLow52.8
$528K
DroughtModerate65.8
$502K
Winter weatherModerate67.5
$147K
HailVery Low28.5
$137K
WildfireVery Low56.3
$84K
LandslideLow66.3
$5K
AvalancheVery Low5.0
$3

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 York County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm18
Flood6
Snowstorm6
Hurricane4
Coastal Storm3
Winter Storm1

Most recent

May 24, 2024Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Mar 20, 2024Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 14, 2023Hurricane LeeEmergency
Mar 22, 2023Severe Storm and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 15, 2022Severe Storm and FloodingMajor disaster
May 30, 2018Severe Storm and FloodingMajor disaster
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
Sep 13, 2011Tropical Storm IreneMajor disaster
Show all 38
Jul 1, 2010Severe Storms 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
Apr 25, 2007Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal FloodingMajor disaster
May 25, 2006Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 19, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jun 29, 2005Severe Storms, Flooding, Snow Melt, and Ice JamsMajor disaster
Apr 1, 2005SnowEmergency
Mar 14, 2005Record And/Or Near Record SnowEmergency
Mar 14, 2005Record And/Or Near Record SnowEmergency
May 16, 2001Severe Winter Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 20, 2001SnowEmergency
Jan 21, 1999Me - Flooding 10/16/98Major disaster
Jul 2, 1998Severe Storms and FloodingMajor 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
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
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 1956

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 516 storm reports in York County since 1956, with 3 deaths and 21 injuries and about $58.1 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on October 10, 1966.

14tornadoes
149hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
268damaging thunderstorm winds
33floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Oct 10, 1966F2–0 / 0
May 14, 1963F2–0 / 0
Aug 7, 1986F1–0 / 0
Aug 7, 1986F1–0 / 0
Sep 29, 2006F1North Berwick0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 16, 2007FloodAlfred$25M
Oct 20, 1996Flash FloodCountywide$10M
May 13, 2006FloodCountywide$10M
Aug 7, 1986Tornado–$3M
Oct 31, 2021Flash FloodSaco$2M
Jul 15, 2014Thunderstorm WindYork Vlg$1M

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 22, 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, 4 hurricanes and 15 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of York County, 7 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1869, with top winds near 105 mph about 54 miles away.

4hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
15tropical storms
1996most recent: Bertha

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 4, 1869UnnamedCategory 2, 105 mph54 mi
Sep 8, 1869UnnamedCategory 1, 90 mph48 mi
Aug 19, 1991BobCategory 1, 85 mph58 mi
Sep 27, 1985GloriaCategory 1, 75 mph64 mi
Sep 16, 1858UnnamedTropical storm, 70 mph57 mi
Sep 15, 1944UnnamedTropical storm, 70 mph54 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Jul 14, 1996BerthaTropical storm, 65 mph47 mi
Aug 19, 1991BobCategory 1, 85 mph58 mi
Sep 27, 1985GloriaCategory 1, 75 mph64 mi
Aug 28, 1971DoriaTropical storm, 50 mph62 mi
Sep 26, 1961EstherTropical storm, 50 mph56 mi
Sep 12, 1960DonnaTropical storm, 70 mph51 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 York County

Check your address flood zone ›
3.4%of homes have federal flood insurance (2,796 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$44.6 millionpaid on 2,666 flood claims since 1978
2024costliest year, with $21.3 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 York County

$395,700median home value (Maine $296,600, US $332,700)
1980median year homes were built (Maine 1977, US 1980)
50%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
6.1%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; 115,091 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
Rockingham County, NHModerate33
Cumberland CountyLow35
Strafford County, NHLow23
Oxford CountyLow35
Carroll County, NHLow34

Common questions about York County

What is the biggest natural hazard in York County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in York County, about $25.9 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hurricane is second at $12.5 million.

How many federal disasters has York County had?

York County has been included in 38 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1970, including 29 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in May 2024.

Is York County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Moderate, 1st 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 York County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 29 homes in York 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 York County had?

NOAA records list 14 tornadoes in York County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on October 10, 1966. The weather service has also logged 149 hail reports and 33 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit York County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 4 hurricanes and 15 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of York 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.