Home › Maryland › Queen Anne's County

Queen Anne's County, Maryland

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

Very Low overall risk
21st of 24highest risk in Maryland
$13Mexpected losses a year
16federal declarations
1 in 13homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Queen Anne's County, Maryland has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 64% of US counties. It ranks 21st of 24 counties in Maryland. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, drought and hurricanes. FEMA estimates about $13 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $255 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (10 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). About 1 in 13 homes here carry federal flood insurance (1,675 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $15 million on 1,073 claims here, including $12 million for floods in 2003.

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

Top risks in Queen Anne's County

$4.5 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.
$2.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 5 times a year.
  • Check local water restrictions.
  • Choose drought-tolerant plants.
$1.8 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 10 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingVery Low34.2
$4M
DroughtHigh92.5
$2M
HurricaneLow78.5
$2M
Coastal floodingModerate67.2
$1M
TornadoLow33.2
$691K
Heat waveLow58.0
$602K
Strong windLow48.5
$593K
EarthquakeVery Low54.3
$387K
Cold waveLow23.9
$338K
LightningLow39.5
$177K
HailVery Low29.9
$133K
Winter weatherModerate64.1
$117K
WildfireVery Low59.6
$92K
Ice stormLow37.0
$52K
LandslideVery Low19.8
$127

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 relatively 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 Queen Anne's County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane7
Snowstorm6
Severe Storm2
Winter Storm1

Most recent

Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Mar 4, 2016Severe Winter Storm and SnowstormMajor disaster
Nov 20, 2012Hurricane SandyMajor disaster
Oct 28, 2012Hurricane SandyEmergency
Sep 16, 2011Hurricane IreneMajor disaster
Aug 27, 2011Hurricane IreneEmergency
May 6, 2010Severe Winter Storms and SnowstormsMajor disaster
Feb 19, 2010Severe Winter Storm and SnowstormMajor disaster
Sep 13, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 19, 2003Hurricane IsabelMajor disaster
Show all 16
Mar 14, 2003SnowEmergency
Apr 10, 2000Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Sep 24, 1999Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster DeclarationsMajor disaster
Jan 11, 1996Blizzard of 96 (Severe Snow Storm)Major disaster
Mar 16, 1993Severe Snowfall & Winter StormEmergency
Jan 26, 1977Ice ConditionsMajor disaster

Maryland also had 1 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1965

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 402 storm reports in Queen Anne's County since 1965, with 0 deaths and 4 injuries and about $7.3 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on March 21, 1976.

12tornadoes
20hail reports, largest 1.8 inches
248damaging thunderstorm winds
42floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Mar 21, 1976F2–0 / 0
Jul 30, 1971F2–0 / 0
Jul 24, 2017EF2Stevensville Bay Arp1 / 0
Apr 16, 1993F1–0 / 0
Nov 26, 1996F1Grasonville0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Sep 16, 1999Flash FloodCountywide$4M
Oct 29, 2012FloodLove Pt$700K
Apr 2, 2016Thunderstorm WindHayden$600K
Aug 28, 2011FloodLove Pt$550K
Aug 12, 2014Flash FloodQueenstown$500K
Mar 21, 1976Tornado–$250K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 28, 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 1861, 1 hurricane and 22 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Queen Anne's County, 11 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1878, with top winds near 90 mph about 60 miles away.

1hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
22tropical storms
2021most recent: Elsa

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 23, 1878UnnamedCategory 1, 90 mph60 mi
Jul 13, 1996BerthaTropical storm, 70 mph51 mi
Aug 28, 1971DoriaTropical storm, 70 mph57 mi
Sep 27, 1861UnnamedTropical storm, 70 mph58 mi
Aug 4, 2020IsaiasTropical storm, 70 mph61 mi
Aug 13, 1955ConnieTropical storm, 65 mph62 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Jul 9, 2021ElsaTropical storm, 60 mph54 mi
Aug 4, 2020IsaiasTropical storm, 70 mph61 mi
Sep 6, 2008HannaTropical storm, 50 mph62 mi
Jul 13, 1996BerthaTropical storm, 70 mph51 mi
Sep 25, 1992DanielleTropical storm, 50 mph63 mi
Aug 28, 1971DoriaTropical storm, 70 mph57 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 Queen Anne's County

Check your address flood zone ›
7.9%of homes have federal flood insurance (1,675 policies)
105.5%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$15.3 millionpaid on 1,073 flood claims since 1978
2003costliest year, with $12.3 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 Queen Anne's County

$462,700median home value (Maryland $419,900, US $332,700)
1990median year homes were built (Maryland 1979, US 1980)
33%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
3%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; 22,038 housing units.

Compare in Maryland

All 24 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Montgomery CountyModerateInland flooding
Prince George's CountyModerateInland flooding
Baltimore CountyModerateInland flooding
Anne Arundel CountyModerateInland flooding
Baltimore CityHighInland flooding
Howard CountyLowInland flooding
Frederick CountyLowInland flooding
Harford CountyLowInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Anne Arundel CountyModerate21
Kent County, DEModerate15
Talbot CountyVery Low18
Caroline CountyLow19
Kent CountyVery Low19

Common questions about Queen Anne's County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Queen Anne's County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Queen Anne's County, about $4.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Drought is second at $2.2 million.

How many federal disasters has Queen Anne's County had?

Queen Anne's County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 10 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.

Is Queen Anne's County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 21st highest of 24 in Maryland. 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 Queen Anne's County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 13 homes in Queen Anne's 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 Queen Anne's County had?

NOAA records list 12 tornadoes in Queen Anne's County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on March 21, 1976. The weather service has also logged 20 hail reports and 42 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Queen Anne's County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 1 hurricane and 22 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Queen Anne's County. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1878, with winds near 90 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.