Natural hazards · Appleton

Appleton, ME natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Appleton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Appleton?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Appleton to be higher than in 34% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding35%Hurricanes32%Ice storms9%Strong wind6%Everything else19%

By hazard

What Appleton faces

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

Inland flooding

35% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 15% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

32% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 9 years in the area

Ice storms

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 14% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Appleton flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Appleton.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Knox County.

Disasters that hit Appleton

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into AppletonDeclared for Knox County only

2024

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid

2023

Severe Storm and Flooding

$72K to the Town of Appleton for repairs

2021

Severe Storm and Flooding

$51K to the Town of Appleton for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm

$5K to the Town of Appleton for repairs

2009

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides

$17K to the Town of Appleton for repairs

2008

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$11K to the Town of Appleton for repairs

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

$13K to the Town of Appleton for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

$1K to the Town of Appleton for repairs

2007

Flooding

$53K to the Town of Appleton for repairs

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Snow Melt, and Ice Jams

$10K to the Town of Appleton for repairs

2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$2K to the Town of Appleton for repairs

Knox County has had 26 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Appleton

Appleton and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Searsmontmostly inland floodingModerate

Libertymostly inland floodingModerate

Unionmostly inland floodingLow

Appletonmostly inland floodingLow

Hopemostly inland floodingLow

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. Appleton covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Appleton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Appleton. 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 Appleton total about $897K 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.