Natural hazards · Easton

Easton, MD natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Easton comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 5 claims here since 1996. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Easton?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Easton to be higher than in 7% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes27%Inland flooding25%Heat waves17%Cold waves7%Earthquakes7%Tornadoes6%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Easton faces

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

Hurricanes

27% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 8 years in the area

Inland flooding

25% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 2% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Heat waves

17% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 4% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Cold waves

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 58% of U.S. places

Tornadoes

6% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 43% of U.S. places

Lower here

Coastal floodingHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

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 Easton flood?

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

5paid claims since 1996

$338Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19962026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Isaias: 1 claim, $3K
Hurricane Irene: 1 claim, $22K
Hurricane Isabel: 1 claim, $1K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Talbot County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Easton

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into EastonDeclared for Talbot County only

2012

Hurricane Sandy

$41K to the Town of Easton for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms

$73K to the Town of Easton for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$33K to the Town of Easton for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

31 households applied for aid $34K aid approved $39K to the Town of Easton for repairs

2003

Snow

$44K to the Town of Easton for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$66K to the Town of Easton for repairs

Talbot County has had 16 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. Easton covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Easton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Easton. 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 Easton total about $2.3M 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.