Natural hazards · Laurel

Laurel, DE natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Laurel comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 1994. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Laurel?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Laurel to be higher than in 42% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding44%Hurricanes27%Cold waves15%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Laurel faces

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

Inland flooding

44% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 47% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

27% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 7 years in the area

Cold waves

15% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Laurel flood?

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

3paid claims since 1994

$6Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19942026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Isabel: 1 claim, $2K
Hurricane Sandy: 1 claim, $270

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Laurel 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 Laurel

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into LaurelDeclared for Sussex County only

2026

Severe Winter Storm

$4K to the Town of Laurel for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

$46K to the Town of Laurel for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms

$35K to the Town of Laurel for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

9 households applied for aid $25K aid approved $14K to the Town of Laurel for repairs

2003

Snow

$3K to the Town of Laurel 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. Laurel is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

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

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.