Natural hazards · Searsmont

Searsmont, ME natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Searsmont comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 1987. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Searsmont?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Searsmont to be higher than in 46% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding38%Hurricanes27%Cold waves10%Ice storms8%Winter weather6%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Searsmont faces

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

Inland flooding

38% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 33% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

27% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 9 years in the area

Cold waves

10% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 48% 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

Winter weather

6% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about 31 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailHeat 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 Searsmont flood?

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

3paid claims since 1987

$34Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19872026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Waldo County.

Disasters that hit Searsmont

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SearsmontDeclared for Waldo County only

2024

Severe Storms and Flooding

2 households applied for aid

2023

Severe Storm and Flooding

$45K to the Town of Searsmont for repairs

2022

Severe Storm and Flooding

$6K to the Town of Searsmont for repairs

2008

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$3K to the Town of Searsmont for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

$9K to the Town of Searsmont for repairs

2007

Flooding

$2K to the Town of Searsmont for repairs

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Snow Melt, and Ice Jams

$15K to the Town of Searsmont for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Flooding, Snow Melt and Ice Jams

$6K to the Town of Searsmont for repairs

Waldo County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Searsmont

Searsmont and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Searsmontmostly inland floodingModerate

Morrillmostly inland floodingModerate

Belmontmostly inland floodingModerate

Montvillemostly inland floodingModerate

Appletonmostly inland floodingLow

Lincolnvillemostly hurricanesLow

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. Searsmont covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Searsmont’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Searsmont. 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 Searsmont total about $2.3M 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.