Franklin County, ME
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Franklin County has experienced 85 federally declared disasters since 1970, most recently Severe Storm And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Franklin County's highest-rated hazards are ice storm, winter weather, and hurricane, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 60 storm events in the county over the past decade.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Franklin County has been designated in 85 declarations since 1970, covering 6 disaster types including biological (54), severe storm (12), flood (8).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm And Flooding |
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Storm And Flooding |
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Storm And Flooding |
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm And Flooding |
| 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 |
Showing the 10 most recent of 85 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 | 16 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 53 | 53 | 0 | $9.7M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 45.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 15.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 12.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 80.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 26.1 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 44.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 88.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 90.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 64 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 71.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 41.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 76.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 63.5 | — | — | — |
| 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
Franklin County ranks in the 46th percentile (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 | 46th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 40th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 32nd | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 8th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 82nd | 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 | 4th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 4th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 86.6% | — |
NOAA tracked 60 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 4 in 2016–20 vs 56 in 2021–25 .
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 Franklin County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Franklin County, Maine are ice storm, winter weather, and hurricane. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Franklin County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Franklin County has received 85 federal disaster declarations since 1970, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is biological (54 declarations).
Has Franklin County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Franklin County include Severe Storm And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1970.
How does Franklin County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Kennebec County, ME has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Essex County, VT has the lowest (Very Low). Franklin County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Franklin County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Franklin 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. Franklin County's composite score of 44 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 44% of US counties.