Natural hazards · Brunswick

Brunswick, ME natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Brunswick comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 1987. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Brunswick?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Brunswick to be higher than in 16% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding41%Hurricanes23%Earthquakes7%Winter weather6%Ice storms6%Cold waves5%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Brunswick faces

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

Inland flooding

41% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 10% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

23% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 9 years in the area

Earthquakes

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 61% of U.S. places

Winter weather

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places

Recorded about 37 times a year in the area

Ice storms

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

5% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 47% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailHeat 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 Brunswick flood?

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

3paid claims since 1987

$3Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19872026

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Cumberland County.

Disasters that hit Brunswick

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BrunswickDeclared for Cumberland County only

2024

Severe Storms and Flooding

36 households applied for aid $38K aid approved

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

28 households applied for aid $33K aid approved

Cumberland County has had 33 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Brunswick

Brunswick and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Bathmostly inland floodingModerate

Harpswellmostly coastal floodingLow

West Bathmostly coastal floodingLow

Topshammostly inland floodingLow

Durhammostly inland floodingLow

Brunswickmostly inland floodingVery low

Freeportmostly 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. Brunswick covers 6 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Brunswick’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Brunswick. 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 Brunswick total about $4.5M 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.