Natural hazards · Ellsworth

Ellsworth, ME natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Ellsworth comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 1989. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Ellsworth?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Ellsworth to be higher than in 39% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding42%Hurricanes26%Cold waves11%Ice storms6%Everything else16%

By hazard

What Ellsworth faces

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

Inland flooding

42% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 32% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

26% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 11 years in the area

Cold waves

11% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 46% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Ice storms

6% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Ellsworth flood?

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

3paid claims since 1989

$181Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19892026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Hancock County.

Disasters that hit Ellsworth

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into EllsworthDeclared for Hancock County only

2024

Severe Storms and Flooding

24 households applied for aid $68K aid approved

Hancock County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Ellsworth

Ellsworth and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Dedhammostly inland floodingHigh

Otismostly inland floodingHigh

Orlandmostly inland floodingModerate

Ellsworthmostly inland floodingLow

Trentonmostly hurricanesLow

Surrymostly inland floodingLow

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. Ellsworth covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Ellsworth’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Ellsworth. 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 Ellsworth total about $3.1M 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.