Natural hazards · Cumberland

Cumberland, MD natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Cumberland comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 14 claims here since 1989. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Cumberland?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Cumberland to be higher than in 29% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding81%Everything else19%

By hazard

What Cumberland faces

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

Inland flooding

81% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 56% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningAvalanches

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtTsunamisVolcanic 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 Cumberland flood?

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

14paid claims since 1989

$119Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19892026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Fran: 1 claim, $4K
Hurricane Ida: 1 claim, $432

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Allegany County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

5flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Cumberland

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CumberlandDeclared for Allegany County only

2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$69K to the City of Cumberland for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

$20K to the City of Cumberland for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms

$137K to the City of Cumberland for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

2 households applied for aid $13K aid approved $2K to the City of Cumberland for repairs

2003

Snow

$45K to the City of Cumberland for repairs

Allegany County has had 14 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and hurricanes.

Around Cumberland

Cumberland and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Bowmans Additionmostly inland floodingLow

Cumberlandmostly inland floodingLow

Bowling Greenmostly 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. Cumberland covers 6 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Cumberland’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Cumberland. 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 Cumberland total about $4.3M 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.