Safest places to live in Maryland from natural disasters
The lowest natural-disaster risk in Maryland is in Charles County, Garrett County, Carroll County, where FEMA rates few or no severe perils. The most exposed county is Baltimore County, driven by riverine flooding. This page ranks every Maryland county by physical peril exposure, from official FEMA National Risk Index data.
Lowest-risk counties in Maryland
| County | Physical risk | Top severe peril |
|---|---|---|
| Charles County | Low | none rated high |
| Garrett County | Low | none rated high |
| Carroll County | Low | none rated high |
| Cecil County | Low | none rated high |
| Kent County | Low | none rated high |
| Allegany County | Low | landslide |
| Anne Arundel County | Low | hurricane |
| Calvert County | Low | hurricane |
Highest-risk counties in Maryland
| County | Physical risk | Driven by |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore County | Elevated | riverine flooding |
| Dorchester County | Elevated | coastal flooding |
| Montgomery County | Elevated | riverine flooding |
| Prince George's County | Elevated | tornado |
| Somerset County | Elevated | coastal flooding |
Dominant perils in Maryland
Across Maryland, the perils most often rated Relatively High or higher by FEMA are coastal flooding, riverine flooding, tornado. County rankings reflect physical exposure, not dollar value, so a county can rank low here even if it is densely developed. For a specific property, the flood zone and exact peril ratings matter more than the county summary.
Look up any Maryland address on the Safe Havens map, or read how Plattow scores risk and FEMA flood zones. See all states on the states index.