Natural hazards · Wells

Wells, ME natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Wells comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 468 claims here since 1978. 18 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Wells?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding37%Coastal flooding33%Hurricanes17%Ice storms5%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Wells faces

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

Inland flooding

37% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 27% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Coastal flooding

33% of expected damage

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

Hurricanes

17% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 7 years in the area

Ice storms

5% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Wells flood?

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

468paid claims since 1978

$8.6Mpaid to owners

41homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

The “Halloween” storm: 120 claims, $969K
April 2007 Nor'easter: 55 claims, $707K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (7) ■ flooded 2+ times

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: York County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Wells

18 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WellsDeclared for York County only

2024

Severe Winter Storm

$99K to the Town of Wells for repairs

2024

Severe Storms and Flooding

97 households applied for aid $319K aid approved $2.3M to the Town of Wells for repairs

2022

Severe Storm and Flooding

$145K to the Town of Wells for repairs

2021

Severe Storm and Flooding

$25K to the Town of Wells for repairs

2018

Severe Storm and Flooding

$588K to the Town of Wells for repairs

2017

Severe Storm and Flooding

$9K to the Town of Wells for repairs

2015

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$43K to the Town of Wells for repairs

2013

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$49K to the Town of Wells for repairs

2011

Tropical Storm Irene

$9K to the Town of Wells for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

$20K to the Town of Wells for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm

$52K to the Town of Wells for repairs

2008

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$134K to the Town of Wells for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

50 households applied for aid $39K aid approved $426K to the Town of Wells for repairs

2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

194 households applied for aid $150K aid approved $132K to the Town of Wells for repairs

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Snow Melt, and Ice Jams

$144K to the Town of Wells for repairs

2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$36K to the Town of Wells for repairs

2001

Severe Winter Storms and Flooding

$5K to the Town of Wells for repairs

2001

Snow

$16K to the Town of Wells for repairs

York County has had 36 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Wells

Wells and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Wellsmostly inland floodingModerate

Ogunquitmostly inland floodingModerate

Kennebunkmostly inland floodingLow

South Berwickmostly inland floodingLow

North Berwickmostly 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. Wells covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Wells’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Wells. 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 Wells total about $6.4M 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.