Natural hazards · Betterton

Betterton, MD natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Betterton comes from drought, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 2003. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Betterton?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Betterton to be higher than in 22% of U.S. communities, mostly from drought and hurricanes.

Drought36%Hurricanes22%Inland flooding18%Everything else24%

By hazard

What Betterton faces

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

Drought

36% of expected damage

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

22% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 14 years in the area

Inland flooding

18% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

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 Betterton flood?

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

2paid claims since 2003

$304Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20032026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Isabel: 2 claims, $304K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Betterton 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 Betterton

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BettertonDeclared for Kent County only

2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$3K to the Town of Betterton for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

$2K to the Town of Betterton for repairs

2012

Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds

$18K to the Town of Betterton for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$10K to the Town of Betterton for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms

$3K to the Town of Betterton for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$2K to the Town of Betterton for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

2 households applied for aid $3K to the Town of Betterton for repairs

2003

Snow

$2K to the Town of Betterton for repairs

2000

Severe Winter Storm

$844 to the Town of Betterton for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$4K to the Town of Betterton for repairs

Kent County has had 17 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. Betterton 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 Betterton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Betterton. 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.

Betterton, MD natural hazards

How exposed is Betterton?

What Betterton faces

Drought

Hurricanes

Inland flooding

Lower here

Not a risk here

Does Betterton flood?

Biggest named events

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

Hurricane Sandy

Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds

Hurricane Irene

Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

Hurricane Isabel

Snow

Severe Winter Storm

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

How to read this page

Where to, neighbor?

Matches

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