York County, Maine
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
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
- 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.
- 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.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 81.3 | $26M | ||
| Hurricane | 91.5 | $13M | ||
| Coastal flooding | 86.6 | $5M | ||
| Ice storm | 98.3 | $4M | ||
| Earthquake | 83.8 | $3M | ||
| Tornado | 46.5 | $1M | ||
| Cold wave | 47.2 | $1M | ||
| Strong wind | 50.3 | $682K | ||
| Lightning | 70.2 | $620K | ||
| Heat wave | 52.8 | $528K | ||
| Drought | 65.8 | $502K | ||
| Winter weather | 67.5 | $147K | ||
| Hail | 28.5 | $137K | ||
| Wildfire | 56.3 | $84K | ||
| Landslide | 66.3 | $5K | ||
| Avalanche | 5.0 | $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
Most recent
Show all 38
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.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 10, 1966 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 14, 1963 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 7, 1986 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 7, 1986 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 29, 2006 | F1 | North Berwick | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 16, 2007 | Flood | Alfred | $25M |
| Oct 20, 1996 | Flash Flood | Countywide | $10M |
| May 13, 2006 | Flood | Countywide | $10M |
| Aug 7, 1986 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Oct 31, 2021 | Flash Flood | Saco | $2M |
| Jul 15, 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | York 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.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 4, 1869 | Unnamed | Category 2, 105 mph | 54 mi |
| Sep 8, 1869 | Unnamed | Category 1, 90 mph | 48 mi |
| Aug 19, 1991 | Bob | Category 1, 85 mph | 58 mi |
| Sep 27, 1985 | Gloria | Category 1, 75 mph | 64 mi |
| Sep 16, 1858 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 57 mi |
| Sep 15, 1944 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 54 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 14, 1996 | Bertha | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 47 mi |
| Aug 19, 1991 | Bob | Category 1, 85 mph | 58 mi |
| Sep 27, 1985 | Gloria | Category 1, 75 mph | 64 mi |
| Aug 28, 1971 | Doria | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 62 mi |
| Sep 26, 1961 | Esther | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 56 mi |
| Sep 12, 1960 | Donna | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 51 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 ›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
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 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Rockingham County, NH | 33 | |
| Cumberland County | 35 | |
| Strafford County, NH | 23 | |
| Oxford County | 35 | |
| Carroll County, NH | 34 |
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.