Cumberland County, ME
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Cumberland County has experienced 39 federally declared disasters since 1970, most recently Severe Storms And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Cumberland County's highest-rated hazards are winter weather, ice storm, and hurricane, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 47 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (14th percentile nationally), indicating stronger recovery capacity than most US counties.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Cumberland County has been designated in 39 declarations since 1970, covering 9 disaster types including severe storm (12), snowstorm (8), flood (8).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2023 | Hurricane | Hurricane Lee |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm And Flooding |
| 2015 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
| 2013 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 39 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 | 38.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 72.3 | 31 | 0 | $1.1M |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 78.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 81.1 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 59.2 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 25.5 | 4 | 0 | $2K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 90.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 76 | 11 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 77.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very High | 99 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very High | 98.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 60.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 85 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 41 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 63.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 5.1 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Insufficient Data | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Cumberland County ranks in the 14th percentile (Very low) 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 | 14th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 11th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 4th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 36th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 57th | Moderate |
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 | 9th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 9th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 61.2% | — |
NOAA tracked 47 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 22 in 2016–20 vs 25 in 2021–25 (+14% — frequency increasing).
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 Cumberland County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Cumberland County, Maine are winter weather, ice storm, and hurricane. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Cumberland County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Cumberland County has received 39 federal disaster declarations since 1970, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (12 declarations).
Has Cumberland County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Cumberland County include Severe Winter Storm (2024), Severe Storms And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1970.
How does Cumberland County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, York County, ME has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Sagadahoc County, ME has the lowest (Very Low). Cumberland County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Cumberland County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Cumberland 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. Cumberland County's composite score of 77 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 77% of US counties.