Worcester County, Maryland: hazard risk
FEMA rates Worcester County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 68.2 of 100, higher than 68% of rated U.S. counties); 1 of its 15 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by coastal flooding. Its storm record holds 499 events since 1950.
FEMA's rating for each hazard
These are FEMA's county-wide model ratings and this county's storm record. They are not an assessment of any property, address or building, and not insurance advice: a property's risk depends on its own elevation, construction and location.
FEMA gives each hazard its own rating, and a rating does not follow the score from one hazard to the next: a hazard with a higher score can carry a lower rating than another. The table sorts by FEMA's rating, then by score (0 to 100, the county against every other county for that hazard).
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively High | 88.0 | $4.5M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 92.0 | $11M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 74.1 | $149K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 70.0 | $2.0M |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 65.5 | $379K |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 65.9 | $119K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 57.5 | $112K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 56.5 | $470K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 50.1 | $6.3M |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 39.5 | $148K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 32.2 | $299K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 49.7 | $255K |
| Tornado | Very Low | 16.1 | $151K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 15.7 | $66 |
| Hail | Very Low | 11.9 | $36K |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. A model of future loss, not a count of past events. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
What the record holds
| Hazard | Records | Deaths | Damage | Rank in state | Rank in U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 138 | 0 | $76K | 23rd of 23 | 907th of 3,077 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 111 | 0 | $3.4M | 23rd of 23 | 1658th of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 67 | 0 | $8K | 6th of 23 | 86th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 54 | 0 | $14M | 23rd of 23 | 970th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 32 | 0 | $4K | 20th of 23 | 2451st of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 26 | 0 | $1.7M | 19th of 23 | 1128th of 3,080 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 24 | 0 | $5.0M | 4th of 23 | 239th of 1,849 |
| Tornadoes | 15 | 0 | $1.8M | 17th of 23 | 1870th of 3,080 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 13 | 13 | – | 1st of 23 | 67th of 2,080 |
| Heat | 7 | 0 | – | 22nd of 23 | 1575th of 3,076 |
| Extreme cold | 6 | 0 | – | 22nd of 23 | 1711th of 3,076 |
| Lightning | 4 | 0 | $37K | 23rd of 23 | 1356th of 3,080 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Worcester County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.