Natural hazards · Knox

Knox, ME natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Knox comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Knox?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Knox to be higher than in 46% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding38%Hurricanes27%Cold waves10%Ice storms8%Winter weather6%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Knox faces

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

Inland flooding

38% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 33% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

27% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 9 years in the area

Cold waves

10% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 48% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Ice storms

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Winter weather

6% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about 31 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailHeat 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 Knox flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Knox.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Waldo County.

Disasters that hit Knox

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into KnoxDeclared for Waldo County only

2024

Severe Storms and Flooding

2 households applied for aid $300 aid approved

2023

Severe Storm and Flooding

$11K to the Town of Knox for repairs

2022

Severe Storm and Flooding

$26K to the Town of Knox for repairs

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

$10K to the Town of Knox for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

$35K to the Town of Knox for repairs

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Snow Melt, and Ice Jams

$23K to the Town of Knox for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Flooding, Snow Melt and Ice Jams

$16K to the Town of Knox for repairs

Waldo County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Knox

Knox and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Brooksmostly inland floodingModerate

Thorndikemostly inland floodingModerate

Unitymostly inland floodingModerate

Knoxmostly inland floodingModerate

Montvillemostly inland floodingModerate

Morrillmostly inland floodingModerate

Freedommostly inland floodingModerate

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. Knox 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 Knox’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Knox. 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.