Natural hazards · Rangeley

Rangeley, ME natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Rangeley comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. 12 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Rangeley?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Rangeley to be higher than in 49% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding60%Cold waves15%Hurricanes14%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Rangeley faces

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

Inland flooding

60% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 65% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

15% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 55% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

14% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 12 years in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningAvalanches

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtTsunamisVolcanic 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 Rangeley flood?

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

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Franklin County.

Disasters that hit Rangeley

12 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into RangeleyDeclared for Franklin County only

2023

Severe Storm and Flooding

3 households applied for aid $45K aid approved $22K to the Town of Rangeley for repairs

2022

Severe Storm and Flooding

$5K to the Town of Rangeley for repairs

2017

Severe Storm and Flooding

$19K to the Town of Rangeley for repairs

2011

Tropical Storm Irene

$3K to the Town of Rangeley for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

$55K to the Town of Rangeley for repairs

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Snow Melt, and Ice Jams

$5K to the Town of Rangeley for repairs

2005

Snow

$6K to the Town of Rangeley for repairs

2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$8K to the Town of Rangeley for repairs

2003

Snow

$13K to the Town of Rangeley for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Flooding, Snow Melt and Ice Jams

$12K to the Town of Rangeley for repairs

2001

Snow

$9K to the Town of Rangeley for repairs

2000

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Ice Jams

$133K to the Town of Rangeley for repairs

Franklin County has had 28 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Rangeley

Rangeley and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Rangeleymostly inland floodingModerate

Dallas plantationmostly inland floodingModerate

Rangeley plantationmostly inland floodingModerate

Sandy River plantationmostly 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. Rangeley covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Rangeley’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Rangeley. 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 Rangeley total about $1.1M 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.