Natural hazards · Harrington

Harrington, DE natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Harrington comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 4 claims here since 1984. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Harrington?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Harrington to be higher than in 11% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding31%Hurricanes24%Cold waves23%Heat waves6%Tornadoes5%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Harrington faces

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

Inland flooding

31% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 7% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

24% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 8 years in the area

Cold waves

23% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Heat waves

6% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

5% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 34% of U.S. places

Lower here

HailIce 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 Harrington flood?

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

4paid claims since 1984

$249Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19842026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irene: 2 claims, $7K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Kent County.

Disasters that hit Harrington

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into HarringtonDeclared for Kent County only

2012

Hurricane Sandy

$8K to the City of Harrington for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms

$18K to the City of Harrington for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

2 households applied for aid $13K to the City of Harrington for repairs

2003

Snow

$8K to the City of Harrington for repairs

Kent County has had 13 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. Harrington covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Harrington’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Harrington. 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 Harrington total about $1.3M 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.