Natural hazards · Boothbay

Boothbay, ME natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Boothbay comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 20 claims here since 1978. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Boothbay?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Boothbay to be higher than in 30% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes35%Inland flooding27%Coastal flooding12%Ice storms10%Everything else17%

By hazard

What Boothbay faces

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

Hurricanes

35% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 10 years in the area

Inland flooding

27% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Coastal flooding

12% of expected damage

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

Ice storms

10% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

DroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Boothbay flood?

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

20paid claims since 1978

$242Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

The “Halloween” storm: 3 claims, $8K
April 2007 Nor'easter: 1 claim, $23K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Lincoln County.

Disasters that hit Boothbay

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BoothbayDeclared for Lincoln County only

2024

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $686K to the Town of Boothbay for repairs

2017

Severe Storm and Flooding

$49K to the Town of Boothbay for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

7 households applied for aid $2K aid approved $111K to the Town of Boothbay for repairs

2001

Snow

$6K to the Town of Boothbay for repairs

Lincoln County has had 25 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Boothbay

Boothbay and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Westport Islandmostly inland floodingModerate

Edgecombmostly inland floodingModerate

Boothbay Harbormostly hurricanesModerate

Southportmostly hurricanesModerate

South Bristolmostly hurricanesLow

Boothbaymostly hurricanesLow

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. Boothbay covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Boothbay’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Boothbay. 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 Boothbay total about $929K 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.