Natural hazards · College Park

College Park, MD natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in College Park comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 41 claims here since 2003. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is College Park?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in College Park to be higher than in 3% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding56%Hurricanes11%Tornadoes9%Heat waves9%Everything else15%

By hazard

What College Park faces

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

Inland flooding

56% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

11% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 72% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 11 years in the area

Tornadoes

9% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 33% of U.S. places

Heat waves

9% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 College Park flood?

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

41paid claims since 2003

$428Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20032026

Biggest named events

Mid-spring storms: 3 claims, $17K
Hurricane Isabel: 1 claim, $2K

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Prince George's County.

Disasters that hit College Park

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into College ParkDeclared for Prince George's County only

2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$57K to the City of College Park for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

$9K to the City of College Park for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$9K to the City of College Park for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms

$35K to the City of College Park for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

13 households applied for aid $5K aid approved $25K to the City of College Park for repairs

2003

Snow

$38K to the City of College Park for repairs

2000

Severe Winter Storm

$27K to the City of College Park for repairs

Prince George's County has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and hurricanes.

Around College Park

College Park and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Riverdale Parkmostly inland floodingModerate

Berwyn Heightsmostly inland floodingVery low

University Parkmostly inland floodingVery low

Adelphimostly inland floodingVery low

Greenbeltmostly inland floodingVery low

College Parkmostly inland floodingVery low

Beltsvillemostly inland floodingVery low

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. College Park covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to College Park’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of College Park. 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 College Park total about $4.4M 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.