Natural hazards · Durham

Durham, ME natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Durham comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 6 claims here since 1984. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Durham?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Durham to be higher than in 24% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding48%Hurricanes22%Ice storms8%Everything else22%

By hazard

What Durham 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

Well below average · higher than 22% 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

8% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Durham flood?

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

6paid claims since 1984

$71Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19842026

Biggest named events

December Nor'easter: 1 claim, $19K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Androscoggin County.

Disasters that hit Durham

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into DurhamDeclared for Androscoggin County only

2023

Severe Storm and Flooding

12 households applied for aid $5K aid approved

2015

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$24K to the Town of Durham for repairs

2008

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$27K to the Town of Durham for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

$24K to the Town of Durham for repairs

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Snow Melt, and Ice Jams

$34K to the Town of Durham for repairs

2005

Record Snow

$10K to the Town of Durham for repairs

2005

Snow

$12K to the Town of Durham for repairs

2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$6K to the Town of Durham for repairs

2003

Snow

$7K to the Town of Durham for repairs

2001

Snow

$3K to the Town of Durham for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$22K to the Town of Durham for repairs

Androscoggin County has had 29 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter storms.

Around Durham

Durham and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Lisbonmostly inland floodingLow

Topshammostly inland floodingLow

Auburnmostly inland floodingLow

Durhammostly inland floodingLow

Lewistonmostly inland floodingLow

Pownalmostly inland floodingVery low

New Gloucestermostly inland floodingVery low

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. Durham covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Durham’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Durham. 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 Durham total about $997K 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.