Natural hazards · Waldorf

Waldorf, MD natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Waldorf comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 38 claims here since 1994. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Waldorf?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Waldorf to be higher than in 4% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding51%Heat waves12%Hurricanes11%Strong wind9%Earthquakes5%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Waldorf faces

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

Inland flooding

51% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 9% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Heat waves

12% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 50% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

11% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 73% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 11 years in the area

Strong wind

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 82% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

5% of expected damage

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

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Waldorf flood?

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

38paid claims since 1994

$502Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19942026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irene: 2 claims, $14K
Mid-spring storms: 2 claims, $14K
Hurricane Isaias: 1 claim, $3K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Charles County.

Disasters that hit Waldorf

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WaldorfDeclared for Charles County only

2003

Hurricane Isabel

48 households applied for aid $20K aid approved

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

Around Waldorf

Waldorf and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Accokeekmostly inland floodingVery low

Bensvillemostly inland floodingVery low

Waldorfmostly inland floodingVery low

Brandywinemostly inland floodingVery low

Cedarvillemostly 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. Waldorf covers 13 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Waldorf’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to Waldorf. 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 Waldorf total about $9.2M 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.