Aroostook County, ME
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Aroostook County has experienced 148 federally declared disasters since 1970, most recently Hurricane Lee in 2023. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Aroostook County's highest-rated hazards are winter weather, cold wave, and hurricane, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 29% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Aroostook County has been designated in 148 declarations since 1970, covering 6 disaster types including biological (126), snowstorm (9), flood (6).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Hurricane | Hurricane Lee |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
Showing the 10 most recent of 148 total declarations since 1970.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Very Low | 26.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 76.1 | 35 | 0 | $2.8M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 77.7 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 14.7 | 9 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 15.7 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 83.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 27.5 | 51 | 0 | $1.0M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 53.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very High | 99.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 68.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 97.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 52.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 42.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 80.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 44.2 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Aroostook County ranks in the 65th percentile (Moderate) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 65th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 64th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 68th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 14th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 77th | High |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 8th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 8th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 67.3% | — |
NOAA tracked 96 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 56 in 2016–20 vs 40 in 2021–25 (-29% — frequency decreasing).
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Aroostook County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Aroostook County, Maine are winter weather, cold wave, and hurricane. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Aroostook County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Aroostook County has received 148 federal disaster declarations since 1970, including declarations in 2023. The most common disaster type on record is biological (126 declarations).
Has Aroostook County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Aroostook County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Hurricane Lee in 2023.
How does Aroostook County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Penobscot County, ME has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Franklin County, ME has the lowest (Relatively Low). Aroostook County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Aroostook County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Aroostook County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Aroostook County's composite score of 80 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 80% of US counties.