Natural hazards · Laurel

Laurel, MD natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Laurel comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 7 claims here since 2004. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Laurel?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Laurel to be higher than in 1% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding46%Heat waves12%Tornadoes12%Hurricanes11%Earthquakes6%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Laurel faces

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

Inland flooding

46% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Heat waves

12% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

12% of expected damage

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

Hurricanes

11% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 11 years in the area

Earthquakes

6% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 44% of U.S. places

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Laurel flood?

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

7paid claims since 2004

$114Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20042026

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 15% off flood insurance. Laurel is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 7) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Prince George's County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1buildings floodproofed

Disasters that hit Laurel

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into LaurelDeclared for Prince George's County only

2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$87K to the City of Laurel for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

$28K to the City of Laurel for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$11K to the City of Laurel for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms

$106K to the City of Laurel for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

80 households applied for aid $160K aid approved $42K to the City of Laurel for repairs

2000

Severe Winter Storm

$12K to the City of Laurel for repairs

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

Around Laurel

Laurel and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

South Laurelmostly inland floodingVery low

Laurelmostly inland floodingVery low

Maryland Citymostly inland floodingVery low

Konterramostly inland floodingVery low

North Laurelmostly inland floodingVery low

West Laurelmostly 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. Laurel covers 8 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Laurel’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Laurel. 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 Laurel total about $3.2M 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.