Natural hazards · Oxford

Oxford, ME natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Oxford comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 2007. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Oxford?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Oxford to be higher than in 34% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding42%Hurricanes27%Cold waves11%Ice storms8%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Oxford 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

Well below average · higher than 22% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

27% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 8 years in the area

Cold waves

11% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 47% 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

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat 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 Oxford flood?

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

2paid claims since 2007

$34Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20072026

Biggest named events

April 2007 Nor'easter: 1 claim, $11K
December Nor'easter: 1 claim, $23K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Oxford County.

Disasters that hit Oxford

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into OxfordDeclared for Oxford County only

2023

Severe Storm and Flooding

6 households applied for aid $17K aid approved

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

17 households applied for aid $18K aid approved

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

Around Oxford

Oxford and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Hebronmostly inland floodingModerate

Oxfordmostly inland floodingLow

Otisfieldmostly inland floodingLow

Norwaymostly inland floodingLow

Parismostly inland floodingLow

Mechanic Fallsmostly inland floodingLow

Polandmostly 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. Oxford covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Oxford’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Oxford. 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 Oxford total about $612K 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.