Natural hazards · Paris

Paris, ME natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Paris comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 2010. 14 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Paris?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Paris to be higher than in 28% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding44%Hurricanes24%Cold waves12%Ice storms7%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Paris faces

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

Inland flooding

44% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

24% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 10 years in the area

Cold waves

12% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 47% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Ice storms

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% 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 Paris flood?

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

1paid claims since 2010

$6Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20102026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Paris 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 Paris

14 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ParisDeclared for Oxford County only

2023

Severe Storm and Flooding

$25K to the Town of Paris for repairs

2022

Severe Storm and Flooding

$17K to the Town of Paris for repairs

2017

Severe Storm and Flooding

$10K to the Town of Paris for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

$154K to the Town of Paris for repairs

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Snow Melt, and Ice Jams

$15K to the Town of Paris for repairs

2005

Record Snow

$8K to the Town of Paris for repairs

2005

Snow

$12K to the Town of Paris for repairs

2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$13K to the Town of Paris for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Flooding, Snow Melt and Ice Jams

$13K to the Town of Paris for repairs

2003

Snow

$8K to the Town of Paris for repairs

2002

Severe Winter Cold and Frost

$3K to the Town of Paris for repairs

2001

Severe Winter Storms and Flooding

$1K to the Town of Paris for repairs

2001

Snow

$21K to the Town of Paris for repairs

2000

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Ice Jams

$9K to the Town of Paris for repairs

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

Around Paris

Paris and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

West Parismostly inland floodingHigh

Hebronmostly inland floodingModerate

Buckfieldmostly inland floodingModerate

Oxfordmostly inland floodingLow

Norwaymostly inland floodingLow

Parismostly 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. Paris covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Paris’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Paris. 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 Paris total about $1.5M 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.