Natural hazards · Rumford

Rumford, ME natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Rumford comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 52 claims here since 1981. 17 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Rumford?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Rumford to be higher than in 74% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding74%Hurricanes12%Cold waves6%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Rumford faces

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

Inland flooding

74% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

12% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 12 years in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtAvalanches

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingTsunamisVolcanic 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 Rumford flood?

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

52paid claims since 1981

$1.9Mpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19812026

Biggest named events

December Nor'easter: 19 claims, $974K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Rumford 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 Rumford

17 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into RumfordDeclared for Oxford County only

2023

Severe Storm and Flooding

159 households applied for aid $1.0M aid approved $1.5M to the Town of Rumford for repairs

2022

Severe Storm and Flooding

$20K to the Town of Rumford for repairs

2017

Severe Storm and Flooding

$52K to the Town of Rumford for repairs

2011

Tropical Storm Irene

$374K to the Town of Rumford for repairs

2009

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides

$38K to the Town of Rumford for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

3 households applied for aid

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Snow Melt, and Ice Jams

$19K to the Town of Rumford for repairs

2005

Record Snow

$26K to the Town of Rumford for repairs

2005

Snow

$32K to the Town of Rumford for repairs

2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$29K to the Town of Rumford for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Flooding, Snow Melt and Ice Jams

$29K to the Town of Rumford for repairs

2003

Snow

$20K to the Town of Rumford for repairs

2002

Severe Winter Cold and Frost

$2K to the Town of Rumford for repairs

2001

Severe Winter Storms and Flooding

$8K to the Town of Rumford for repairs

2001

Snow

$39K to the Town of Rumford for repairs

2000

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Ice Jams

$12K to the Town of Rumford for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$6K to the Town of Rumford for repairs

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

Around Rumford

Rumford and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Mexicomostly inland floodingVery high

Roxburymostly inland floodingVery high

Rumfordmostly inland floodingHigh

Perumostly inland floodingModerate

Bethelmostly 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. Rumford covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Rumford’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Rumford. 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 Rumford total about $3.3M 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.