TownTapestry
Sign inJoin
BiddefordGood afternoon
Natural hazards · Biddeford

Biddeford, ME natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Biddeford comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 180 claims here since 1978. 17 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Biddeford?

37
Low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Biddeford to be higher than in 37% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding45%Hurricanes23%Earthquakes10%Coastal flooding7%Ice storms7%Everything else8%
By hazard

What Biddeford faces

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

Inland flooding

45% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 32% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

23% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 8 years in the area

Earthquakes

10% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 70% of U.S. places

Coastal flooding

7% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Ice storms

7% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Biddeford flood?

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

180paid claims since 1978
$3.2Mpaid to owners
12homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • The “Halloween” storm: 43 claims, $236K
  • April 2007 Nor'easter: 23 claims, $231K
  • Hurricane Sandy: 1 claim, $34K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (2) ■ flooded 2+ times

of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Biddeford isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: York County.
Disasters that hit Biddeford

17 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BiddefordDeclared for York County only
2024

Severe Winter Storm

$37K to the City of Biddeford for repairs
2024

Severe Storms and Flooding

40 households applied for aid $215K aid approved $2.8M to the City of Biddeford for repairs
2022

Severe Storm and Flooding

$31K to the City of Biddeford for repairs
2021

Severe Storm and Flooding

$5.1M to the City of Biddeford for repairs
2018

Severe Storm and Flooding

$122K to the City of Biddeford for repairs
2017

Severe Storm and Flooding

$24K to the City of Biddeford for repairs
2015

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$48K to the City of Biddeford for repairs
2013

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$65K to the City of Biddeford for repairs
2011

Tropical Storm Irene

$5K to the City of Biddeford for repairs
2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

$20K to the City of Biddeford for repairs
2010

Severe Winter Storm

$17K to the City of Biddeford for repairs
2008

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$176K to the City of Biddeford for repairs
2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

63 households applied for aid $53K aid approved $279K to the City of Biddeford for repairs
2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

20 households applied for aid $10K aid approved $2K to the City of Biddeford for repairs
2005

Snow

$28K to the City of Biddeford for repairs
2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$84K to the City of Biddeford for repairs
2001

Snow

$47K to the City of Biddeford for repairs
York County has had 36 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.
Around Biddeford

Biddeford and the towns around it

Saco: Low, mostly inland floodingKennebunkport: Moderate, mostly coastal floodingDayton: Low, mostly inland floodingOld Orchard Beach: Low, mostly inland floodingScarborough: Low, mostly inland floodingBuxton: Low, mostly inland floodingKennebunk: Low, mostly inland floodingArundel: Low, mostly inland floodingHollis: Low, mostly inland floodingLyman: Low, mostly inland floodingBiddeford: Low, mostly inland flooding BiddefordSacoKennebunkportDayton
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Kennebunkportmostly coastal floodingModerate
Biddefordmostly inland floodingLow
Sacomostly inland floodingLow
Daytonmostly 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. Biddeford covers 7 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Biddeford’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Biddeford. 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 Biddeford total about $5.4M 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.

The door’s open

Where to, neighbor?

You’re in Biddeford, MEView boundary

Nearby

All towns & citiesExplore the map

Local begins with a boundary.

See what belongs to your selected town.

Loading boundary…

Biddeford is your selected town. The feed includes posts assigned to this town, not a distance radius or ZIP code.

Neighborhoods narrow the feed further, while townwide announcements, events, and issues remain visible.

Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01
Open detailed map