Natural disaster risk in Maryland, by county
All 24 counties in Maryland, ranked by FEMA's National Risk Index composite risk score, with each one's highest-rated hazard. Other states
At a glance
Highest overall risk: Baltimore City (relatively high, score 95.0). Lowest: Garrett County (very low, score 16.0).
Top hazards in Maryland
| Hazard | Counties rated relatively high or very high | Average score |
|---|---|---|
| Winter weather | 10 of 24 | 75.0 |
| Strong wind | 8 of 24 | 66.9 |
| Lightning | 7 of 24 | 66.0 |
| Drought | 4 of 24 | 76.1 |
| Heat wave | 4 of 24 | 72.3 |
All counties, highest risk first
| # | County | Overall risk | Highest-rated hazard |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baltimore City | Relatively high 95 | Winter weather (very high) |
| 2 | Baltimore County | Relatively moderate 94 | Winter weather (very high) |
| 3 | Prince George's County | Relatively moderate 93.2 | Winter weather (very high) |
| 4 | Montgomery County | Relatively moderate 91.7 | Winter weather (very high) |
| 5 | Anne Arundel County | Relatively moderate 81.9 | Winter weather (relatively high) |
| 6 | Frederick County | Relatively low 74.2 | Winter weather (relatively high) |
| 7 | Harford County | Relatively low 72.5 | Winter weather (relatively high) |
| 8 | Howard County | Relatively low 72.4 | Winter weather (relatively high) |
| 9 | Washington County | Relatively low 68.8 | Drought (relatively moderate) |
| 10 | Worcester County | Relatively low 68.2 | Coastal flooding (relatively high) |
| 11 | Wicomico County | Relatively low 60.8 | Hurricane (relatively moderate) |
| 12 | Somerset County | Relatively low 59.6 | Coastal flooding (relatively high) |
| 13 | Carroll County | Relatively low 59.5 | Strong wind (relatively high) |
| 14 | Cecil County | Relatively low 58.6 | Drought (relatively high) |
| 15 | Allegany County | Relatively low 58.5 | Landslide (relatively moderate) |
| 16 | Dorchester County | Relatively low 53.8 | Coastal flooding (relatively high) |
| 17 | Caroline County | Relatively low 45.7 | Drought (relatively high) |
| 18 | Charles County | Relatively low 44.1 | Heat wave (relatively moderate) |
| 19 | St. Mary's County | Very low 42.6 | Hurricane (relatively moderate) |
| 20 | Talbot County | Very low 42.4 | Drought (relatively moderate) |
| 21 | Queen Anne's County | Very low 35.6 | Drought (relatively high) |
| 22 | Calvert County | Very low 28.9 | Hurricane (relatively moderate) |
| 23 | Kent County | Very low 27.5 | Drought (relatively high) |
| 24 | Garrett County | Very low 16 | Winter weather (relatively moderate) |
How to read these ratings
- Ratings run in five steps: very low, relatively low, relatively moderate, relatively high and very high. They compare a county with every other US county; they are not a measure of danger on their own.
- Scores run from 0 to 100 and are national percentiles. The bar shows the score: a score of 80 means a higher value than 80% of US counties.
- Overall risk combines the expected annual loss with social vulnerability and community resilience.
- Expected annual loss is the average yearly loss to buildings, people and agriculture the model expects from all 18 hazards.
- Social vulnerability describes how hard it may be for people to prepare for and recover from a disaster. Higher is worse.
- Community resilience describes a community's ability to prepare, adapt and recover. Higher is better.
- "Not applicable" means FEMA does not model that hazard there (for example, hurricanes far inland).
About this data
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, version 1.20, released December 2025, published by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (US public domain). About the National Risk Index. The index is a model of relative risk built from historical hazard records, what is exposed and community factors. It is not a forecast, it does not describe any single property, and it is not insurance or financial advice. For decisions about a specific address, check FEMA's flood maps and your local emergency management office.
Questions
Which county in Maryland has the highest natural disaster risk?
Baltimore City has the highest composite risk score in Maryland in FEMA's National Risk Index: 95.0, rated relatively high.
Which county in Maryland has the lowest natural disaster risk?
Garrett County has the lowest composite risk score in Maryland: 16.0, rated very low. A low score means lower modelled risk compared with other US counties, not no risk.
What natural disasters is Maryland most at risk from?
Across Maryland, the hazards rated highest in the most counties are winter weather, strong wind, lightning, according to FEMA's National Risk Index. Each county page lists all 18 hazards.
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