Knox County, ME
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Knox County has experienced 31 federally declared disasters since 1970, most recently Severe Storms And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Knox County's highest-rated hazards are winter weather, ice storm, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 21 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (17th 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. Knox County has been designated in 31 declarations since 1970, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (12), flood (8), hurricane (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Storm And Flooding |
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm And Flooding |
| 2023 | Hurricane | Hurricane Lee |
| 2022 | Coastal Storm | Severe Storm And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm And Flooding |
| 2013 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
Showing the 10 most recent of 31 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 | 16.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 21.4 | 9 | 0 | $2.3M |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 69.2 | 6 | 0 | $14.6M |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 45.9 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 11.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 12.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 82.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 20.5 | 6 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 38.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 90.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 89.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 28 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 49.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 35.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 85.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 30 | — | — | — |
| 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
Knox County ranks in the 17th 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 | 17th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 28th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 8th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 8th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 38th | Low |
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 | 5th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 5th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 71.3% | — |
NOAA tracked 21 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 8 in 2016–20 vs 13 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 Knox County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Knox County, Maine are winter weather, ice storm, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Knox County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Knox County has received 31 federal disaster declarations since 1970, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (12 declarations).
Has Knox County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Knox County include Severe Storms And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1970.
How does Knox 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 Sagadahoc County, ME has the lowest (Very Low). Knox County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Knox County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Knox 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. Knox County's composite score of 29 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 29% of US counties.