Maryland drought risk
Kent County has the highest drought risk in Maryland, scoring 93 out of 100 — rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
| # | County | NRI score | Rating |
NOAA events 2016–2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kent County | 93 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 2 | Cecil County | 92.8 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 3 | Caroline County | 92.7 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 4 | Queen Anne's County | 92.5 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 5 | Talbot County | 85.8 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 6 | Washington County | 85.8 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 7 | Prince George's County | 83.5 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 8 | Baltimore County | 82.3 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 9 | Montgomery County | 81.5 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 10 | Dorchester County | 81.2 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 11 | Wicomico County | 75.6 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 12 | Howard County | 75 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 13 | Carroll County | 74.6 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 14 | Anne Arundel County | 74 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 15 | Harford County | 72.5 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 16 | Charles County | 72.4 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 17 | St. Mary's County | 72.3 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 18 | Frederick County | 72 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 19 | Calvert County | 67 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 20 | Somerset County | 66.5 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 21 | Worcester County | 65.5 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 22 | Garrett County | 56.7 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 23 | Allegany County | 46.6 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 24 | Baltimore | 0 | No Rating | 0 |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20.0, December 2025. Scores are 0–100 percentile rankings among all US counties. See the methodology page for definitions. Download the full CSV for all counties.
Drought risk nationally:
Other hazard risks in Maryland:
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest drought risk county in Maryland?
Kent County, MD has the highest drought risk in Maryland, with a FEMA National Risk Index score of 93 out of 100 (rated "Relatively High").
What causes drought risk in Maryland?
Drought risk captures expected annual losses from prolonged precipitation deficits affecting agriculture, water supply, and ecosystems. High scores cover the western Great Plains, Southwest, and California's Central Valley. Climate change is increasing drought frequency and severity across much of the US, with multi-year droughts becoming more common in the West.