Natural hazards · Winthrop

Winthrop, ME natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Winthrop comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 1983. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Winthrop?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Winthrop to be higher than in 17% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding49%Hurricanes21%Ice storms8%Everything else23%

By hazard

What Winthrop faces

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

Inland flooding

49% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 16% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

21% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 9 years in the area

Ice storms

8% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherCold wavesHeat 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 Winthrop flood?

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

3paid claims since 1983

$3Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19832026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Kennebec County.

Disasters that hit Winthrop

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WinthropDeclared for Kennebec County only

2023

Severe Storm and Flooding

43 households applied for aid $53K aid approved $36K to the Town of Winthrop for repairs

2017

Severe Storm and Flooding

$8K to the Town of Winthrop for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

$10K to the Town of Winthrop for repairs

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Snow Melt, and Ice Jams

$73K to the Town of Winthrop for repairs

2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$13K to the Town of Winthrop for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Flooding, Snow Melt and Ice Jams

$15K to the Town of Winthrop for repairs

2003

Snow

$10K to the Town of Winthrop for repairs

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

Around Winthrop

Winthrop and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

West Gardinermostly inland floodingLow

Monmouthmostly inland floodingLow

Winthropmostly inland floodingVery low

Waynemostly inland floodingVery low

Manchestermostly inland floodingVery low

Readfieldmostly inland floodingVery low

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. Winthrop covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Winthrop’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Winthrop. 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 Winthrop total about $1.4M 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.