Natural hazards · Frederick

Frederick, MD natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Frederick comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 44 claims here since 1978. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Frederick?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Frederick to be higher than in 9% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding67%Tornadoes7%Heat waves6%Everything else19%

By hazard

What Frederick faces

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

Inland flooding

67% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 22% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

7% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 47% of U.S. places

Heat waves

6% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce 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 Frederick flood?

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

44paid claims since 1978

$324Kpaid to owners

4homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Isabel: 1 claim, $1K
Hurricane Irene: 1 claim, $1K

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

🏷️ 20% off flood insurance. Frederick is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 6) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Frederick County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Frederick

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into FrederickDeclared for Frederick County only

2018

Severe Storms and Flooding

$2.1M to the City of Frederick for repairs

2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$160K to the City of Frederick for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

$270K to the City of Frederick for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms

$137K to the City of Frederick for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

61 households applied for aid $108K aid approved $73K to the City of Frederick for repairs

2003

Snow

$102K to the City of Frederick for repairs

2000

Severe Winter Storm

$45K to the City of Frederick for repairs

Frederick County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and hurricanes.

Around Frederick

Frederick and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Frederickmostly inland floodingVery low

Linganoremostly inland floodingVery low

Ballenger Creekmostly 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. Frederick covers 18 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Frederick’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Frederick. 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 Frederick total about $13.3M 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.