Natural hazards · Charlestown

Charlestown, MD natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Charlestown comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 31 claims here since 1978. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Charlestown?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Charlestown to be higher than in 18% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding51%Coastal flooding10%Strong wind8%Heat waves7%Tornadoes6%Cold waves6%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Charlestown faces

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

Inland flooding

51% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 21% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Coastal flooding

10% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Strong wind

8% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Heat waves

7% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 14% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

6% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 46% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 89 years in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 46% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Charlestown flood?

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

31paid claims since 1978

$755Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Isabel: 18 claims, $612K

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

Insurance rates: Cecil County.

Disasters that hit Charlestown

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CharlestownDeclared for Cecil County only

2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$7K to the Town of Charlestown for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

$9K to the Town of Charlestown for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$1K to the Town of Charlestown for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms

$6K to the Town of Charlestown for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$5K to the Town of Charlestown for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

32 households applied for aid $53K aid approved $31K to the Town of Charlestown for repairs

2003

Snow

$2K to the Town of Charlestown for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$679 to the Town of Charlestown for repairs

Cecil 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. Charlestown 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 Charlestown’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Charlestown. 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.

Charlestown, MD natural hazards

How exposed is Charlestown?

What Charlestown faces

Inland flooding

Coastal flooding

Strong wind

Heat waves

Tornadoes

Cold waves

Lower here

Not a risk here

Does Charlestown flood?

Biggest named events

Homes that flooded again and again

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

Hurricane Sandy

Hurricane Irene

Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

Hurricane Isabel

Snow

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

How to read this page

Where to, neighbor?

Matches

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