Natural hazards · Georgetown

Georgetown, DE natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Georgetown comes from cold waves, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 2006. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Georgetown?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Georgetown to be higher than in 8% of U.S. communities, mostly from cold waves and hurricanes.

Cold waves34%Hurricanes27%Inland flooding23%Heat waves5%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Georgetown faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Cold waves

34% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 50% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

27% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Inland flooding

23% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 4% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Heat waves

5% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 5% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Georgetown flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Georgetown, from FEMA’s records.

1paid claims since 2006

$8Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20062026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Georgetown isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Sussex County.

Disasters that hit Georgetown

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Georgetown itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Town of Georgetown.

Brought FEMA money into GeorgetownDeclared for Sussex County only

2011

Hurricane Irene

$5K to the Town of Georgetown for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms

$28K to the Town of Georgetown for repairs

2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

$1K to the Town of Georgetown for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

7 households applied for aid $8K to the Town of Georgetown for repairs

2003

Snow

$6K to the Town of Georgetown for repairs

Sussex County has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and hurricanes.

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Georgetown covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Georgetown’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Georgetown. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Georgetown total about $504K a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.