Natural hazards · Brunswick

Brunswick, MD natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Brunswick comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 6 claims here since 1984. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Brunswick?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Brunswick to be higher than in 2% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding59%Heat waves10%Tornadoes8%Strong wind5%Everything else18%

By hazard

What Brunswick faces

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

Inland flooding

59% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 8% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Heat waves

10% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 3% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

8% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 42% of U.S. places

Strong wind

5% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 49% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Brunswick flood?

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

6paid claims since 1984

$51Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19842026

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. Brunswick isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Frederick County.

Disasters that hit Brunswick

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BrunswickDeclared for Frederick County only

2018

Severe Storms and Flooding

$229K to the City of Brunswick for repairs

2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$23K to the City of Brunswick for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

$13K to the City of Brunswick for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms

$15K to the City of Brunswick for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

2 households applied for aid $27K to the City of Brunswick for repairs

2003

Snow

$9K to the City of Brunswick for repairs

2000

Severe Winter Storm

$7K to the City of Brunswick for repairs

Frederick County has had 20 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. Brunswick covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Brunswick’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Brunswick. 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 Brunswick total about $449K 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.