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Natural hazards · Bristol

Bristol, ME natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Bristol comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 22 claims here since 1978. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Bristol?

38
Low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Bristol to be higher than in 38% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding32%Hurricanes31%Coastal flooding11%Ice storms10%Everything else16%
By hazard

What Bristol faces

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

Inland flooding

32% of expected damage
Well below average · higher than 9% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Hurricanes

31% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 10 years in the area

Coastal flooding

11% 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 Bristol flood?

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

22paid claims since 1978
$1.2Mpaid to owners
1homes flooded more than once
19782026

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. Bristol 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 Bristol

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BristolDeclared for Lincoln County only
2024

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $544K to the Town of Bristol for repairs
2017

Severe Storm and Flooding

$9K to the Town of Bristol for repairs
2010

Severe Winter Storm

$12K to the Town of Bristol for repairs
2008

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$15K to the Town of Bristol for repairs
2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

$38K to the Town of Bristol for repairs
2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

2 households applied for aid $1K aid approved $108K to the Town of Bristol for repairs
2007

Flooding

$5K to the Town of Bristol for repairs
2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Snow Melt, and Ice Jams

$13K to the Town of Bristol for repairs
Lincoln County has had 25 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.
Around Bristol

Bristol and the towns around it

South Bristol: Low, mostly hurricanesBremen: Low, mostly inland floodingSt. George: Moderate, mostly coastal floodingNewcastle: Moderate, mostly inland floodingMonhegan plantation: Low, mostly inland floodingDamariscotta: Low, mostly inland floodingFriendship: Low, mostly hurricanesBoothbay: Low, mostly hurricanesEdgecomb: Moderate, mostly inland floodingWaldoboro: Low, mostly inland floodingCushing: Low, mostly hurricanesSouth Thomaston: Low, mostly hurricanesMatinicus Isle plantation: no dataAlna: Moderate, mostly inland floodingNobleboro: Low, mostly inland floodingWiscasset: Moderate, mostly inland floodingJefferson: Moderate, mostly inland floodingBristol: Low, mostly inland flooding BristolSouth BristolBremenSt. GeorgeNewcastleMonhegan plantationDamariscottaFriendship
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
St. Georgemostly coastal floodingModerate
Newcastlemostly inland floodingModerate
Bristolmostly inland floodingLow
Bremenmostly inland floodingLow
Monhegan plantationmostly inland floodingLow
Damariscottamostly inland floodingLow
Friendshipmostly hurricanesLow
South Bristolmostly 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. Bristol is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Bristol’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Bristol. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/15 · 2025-01-01
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