TownTapestry
Sign inJoin
SacoGood afternoon
Natural hazards · Saco

Saco, ME natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Saco comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 217 claims here since 1978. 17 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Saco?

32
Low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Saco to be higher than in 32% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding48%Hurricanes24%Ice storms7%Earthquakes7%Coastal flooding5%Everything else9%
By hazard

What Saco faces

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

Inland flooding

48% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 26% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

24% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 8 years in the area

Ice storms

7% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

7% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 64% of U.S. places

Coastal flooding

5% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Saco flood?

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

217paid claims since 1978
$4.2Mpaid to owners
23homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • April 2007 Nor'easter: 41 claims, $1.0M
  • The “Halloween” storm: 32 claims, $373K
  • Hurricane Sandy: 2 claims, $13K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (4) ■ flooded 2+ times

of all homes
are insured
🏷️ 10% off flood insurance. Saco is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 8) for its flood-proofing work.
Insurance rates: York County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1homes raised above flood level
Disasters that hit Saco

17 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SacoDeclared for York County only
2024

Severe Storms and Flooding

34 households applied for aid $72K aid approved $784K to the City of Saco for repairs
2022

Severe Storm and Flooding

$88K to the City of Saco for repairs
2018

Severe Storm and Flooding

$430K to the City of Saco for repairs
2017

Severe Storm and Flooding

$55K to the City of Saco for repairs
2015

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$78K to the City of Saco for repairs
2013

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$102K to the City of Saco for repairs
2011

Tropical Storm Irene

$20K to the City of Saco for repairs
2010

Severe Winter Storm

$69K to the City of Saco for repairs
2008

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$185K to the City of Saco for repairs
2008

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$49K to the City of Saco for repairs
2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

106 households applied for aid $69K aid approved $549K to the City of Saco for repairs
2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

21 households applied for aid $12K aid approved $5K to the City of Saco for repairs
2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Snow Melt, and Ice Jams

$25K to the City of Saco for repairs
2005

Snow

$32K to the City of Saco for repairs
2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$75K to the City of Saco for repairs
2001

Severe Winter Storms and Flooding

$80K to the City of Saco for repairs
2001

Snow

$50K to the City of Saco for repairs
York County has had 36 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.
Around Saco

Saco and the towns around it

Old Orchard Beach: Low, mostly inland floodingBiddeford: Low, mostly inland floodingDayton: Low, mostly inland floodingScarborough: Low, mostly inland floodingBuxton: Low, mostly inland floodingKennebunkport: Moderate, mostly coastal floodingHollis: Low, mostly inland floodingLyman: Low, mostly inland floodingCape Elizabeth: Very low, mostly inland floodingGorham: Low, mostly inland floodingWestbrook: Moderate, mostly inland floodingSouth Portland: Low, mostly inland floodingStandish: Low, mostly inland floodingSaco: Low, mostly inland flooding SacoOld Orchard BeachBiddefordDaytonScarboroughBuxton
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Biddefordmostly inland floodingLow
Sacomostly inland floodingLow
Scarboroughmostly inland floodingLow
Old Orchard Beachmostly inland floodingLow
Daytonmostly inland floodingLow
Buxtonmostly 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. Saco covers 5 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Saco’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Saco. 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 Saco total about $4.4M 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.

The door’s open

Where to, neighbor?

You’re in Saco, MEView boundary

Nearby

All towns & citiesExplore the map

Local begins with a boundary.

See what belongs to your selected town.

Loading boundary…

Saco is your selected town. The feed includes posts assigned to this town, not a distance radius or ZIP code.

Neighborhoods narrow the feed further, while townwide announcements, events, and issues remain visible.

Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01
Open detailed map