Natural hazards · Cumberland

Cumberland, ME natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Cumberland comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 5 claims here since 1980. 12 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Cumberland?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Cumberland to be higher than in 29% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding48%Hurricanes22%Ice storms9%Everything else21%

By hazard

What Cumberland faces

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

Inland flooding

48% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 26% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

22% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 8 years in the area

Ice storms

9% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Cumberland flood?

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

5paid claims since 1980

$83Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19802026

Biggest named events

The “Halloween” storm: 1 claim, $4K

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Cumberland 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 Cumberland

12 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CumberlandDeclared for Cumberland County only

2024

Severe Storms and Flooding

4 households applied for aid $12K aid approved

2015

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$39K to the Town of Cumberland for repairs

2013

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$32K to the Town of Cumberland for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm

$4K to the Town of Cumberland for repairs

2008

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$34K to the Town of Cumberland for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$11K to the Town of Cumberland for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

3 households applied for aid $374K to the Town of Cumberland for repairs

2005

Record Snow

$20K to the Town of Cumberland for repairs

2005

Snow

$19K to the Town of Cumberland for repairs

2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$35K to the Town of Cumberland for repairs

2003

Snow

$15K to the Town of Cumberland for repairs

2001

Snow

$18K to the Town of Cumberland for repairs

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

Around Cumberland

Cumberland and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Yarmouthmostly inland floodingLow

Cumberlandmostly inland floodingLow

North Yarmouthmostly inland floodingLow

Windhammostly inland floodingLow

Falmouthmostly inland floodingLow

Graymostly inland floodingVery low

Chebeague Islandmostly 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. Cumberland covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Cumberland’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Cumberland. 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 Cumberland total about $828K 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.