Queen Anne's County, MD
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Queen Anne's County has experienced 18 federally declared disasters since 1977, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Queen Anne's County's highest-rated hazards are drought, hurricane, and coastal flooding, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 53% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (4th 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. Queen Anne's County has been designated in 18 declarations since 1977, covering 5 disaster types including hurricane (7), snowstorm (6), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2016 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2011 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2010 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorms |
| 2010 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Showing the 10 most recent of 18 total declarations since 1977.
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 | 59.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 34.2 | 19 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 67.2 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 54.3 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 58 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 33.2 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 78.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 29.9 | 10 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 48.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 64.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 37 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 23.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 39.5 | 3 | 0 | $20K |
| Drought | Relatively High | 92.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 19.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Queen Anne's County ranks in the 4th 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 | 4th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 12th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 11th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 45th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 2nd | Very 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 | 22nd | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 22nd | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 63.1% | — |
NOAA tracked 44 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 30 in 2016–20 vs 14 in 2021–25 (-53% — 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 Queen Anne's County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Queen Anne's County, Maryland are drought, hurricane, and coastal flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Queen Anne's County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Queen Anne's County has received 18 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (7 declarations).
Has Queen Anne's County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Queen Anne's County include Severe Winter Storm (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1977.
How does Queen Anne's County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Baltimore, MD has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Kent County, MD has the lowest (Very Low). Queen Anne's County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Queen Anne's County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Queen Anne's 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. Queen Anne's County's composite score of 36 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 36% of US counties.