Natural hazards · West Paris

West Paris, ME natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in West Paris comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is West Paris?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in West Paris to be higher than in 65% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding62%Hurricanes14%Cold waves10%Everything else15%

By hazard

What West Paris faces

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

Inland flooding

62% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 77% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

14% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 11 years in the area

Cold waves

10% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 47% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat 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 West Paris flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. West Paris 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 West Paris

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into West ParisDeclared for Oxford County only

2023

Severe Storm and Flooding

12 households applied for aid $72K aid approved $199K to the Town of West Paris for repairs

2022

Severe Storm and Flooding

$110K to the Town of West Paris for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

3 households applied for aid $3K aid approved $2K to the Town of West Paris for repairs

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Snow Melt, and Ice Jams

$24K to the Town of West Paris for repairs

2005

Record Snow

$6K to the Town of West Paris for repairs

2005

Snow

$7K to the Town of West Paris for repairs

2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$7K to the Town of West Paris for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Flooding, Snow Melt and Ice Jams

$7K to the Town of West Paris for repairs

2003

Snow

$4K to the Town of West Paris for repairs

2001

Severe Winter Storms and Flooding

$2K to the Town of West Paris for repairs

2001

Snow

$11K to the Town of West Paris for repairs

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

Around West Paris

West Paris and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

West Parismostly inland floodingHigh

Sumnermostly inland floodingModerate

Woodstockmostly inland floodingLow

Greenwoodmostly inland floodingLow

Parismostly 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. West Paris covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to West Paris’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of West Paris. 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 West Paris total about $592K 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.