Photo: Paul Sableman · CC BY 2.0Storms, floods and disasters in Gorham
Gorham isn’t graded for hazard risk: Gorham has 248 residents; we grade towns of 1,000 or more. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 2001.
What Gorham faces
Each hazard’s share of the building damage FEMA expects here, and how its rate compares with the rest of the country.
River and rain flooding
Earthquakes
Strong wind
Shares are of FEMA’s expected building damage, the measure the grade uses; ranks compare each hazard’s building-damage rate with all 85,154 U.S. census tracts. In FEMA’s terms, river and rain flooding is FEMA’s “Inland Flooding” (rivers and streams overflowing their banks, or rain overwhelming drainage). FEMA defines coastal flooding as high or rising tides and storm surge, so surge damage is counted there. Drought isn’t listed: FEMA counts its losses in crops only.
Does Gorham flood? Rarely: 2 flood claims since 2001
Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Gorham, from FEMA’s records.
- The Early winter storms1 claim · $985
Gorham isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Jackson County.2 federal disasters brought FEMA money to Gorham
Disasters that paid out in Gorham itself (aid to households or repair grants to the Village of Gorham), newest first, with that year’s flood claims.
- 2019Severe Storms and Flooding$12K to the Village of Gorham for repairs
- 2011Severe Storms and Flooding7 households applied for aid$1K aid approved$1K to the Village of Gorham for repairs
Jackson County has had 12 natural disasters declared by the President since 1953, most often severe storms, then floods. Not counted: the 2005 Hurricane Katrina evacuee emergency, which covered counties that took in evacuees.
Old photos of Gorham after a storm or flood belong in the town’s history. Add one, or share what you remember below.
Add to the Gorham archive →Gorham and its neighbors
How expected damage per building compares across the town line. Tap a town to see its hazards.
| Town | Hazard risk | Mostly (buildings) | Flood claims |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sand Ridge Township | — | 924 residents; we grade 1,000+ | |
| Fountain Bluff Township | — | 131 residents; we grade 1,000+ | |
Hazard risk = FEMA’s expected yearly building damage per dollar of building value, vs. the 21,298 U.S. towns we grade; the map is shaded by fifths of the same scale. Flood claims = paid federal flood insurance claims on record.
Get ready for what Gorham faces
A short kit for the hazards that drive the building damage here, what to check before you buy, and where neighbors get alerts.
- Turn around at flooded roads: a foot of moving water can carry off a car.
- Flood insurance usually takes 30 days to start, so buy it before the forecast.
- Keep papers and medicines up high, in a grab-and-go bag.
- Drop, cover and hold on.
- Strap tall furniture and the water heater to the wall.
- Know how to shut off the gas.
- Trim dead limbs over the house and driveway.
- Tie down trash cans and outdoor furniture.
- Stay clear of downed lines and call the utility.
- Look up the address on FEMA’s flood map.
- Ask the seller or landlord whether it has ever flooded, and what flood insurance costs there.
- Get a flood insurance quote early: policies usually start 30 days after you buy.
Know where neighbors sign up for alerts? Add it to the Handbook so everyone has it.
Questions about natural hazards in Gorham
Does Gorham flood?
Flood insurance has paid 2 claims in Gorham since 2001, $5K in all. The most claims came from Early winter storms (1).
Is Gorham in a flood zone?
Flood zones are drawn street by street, so the answer depends on the address: look it up on FEMA’s flood map. In Jackson County, 10% of homes in mapped flood zones carry federal flood insurance, and 0.6% of all homes do.
How much is flood insurance in Gorham?
FEMA’s Community Rating System list shows no discount for Gorham’s flood program. Premiums depend on the building; policies usually start 30 days after you buy, so get a quote early.
What was the biggest storm in Gorham?
By FEMA money that reached Gorham, Severe Storms and Flooding (2019): $12K to the Village of Gorham for repairs. By flood claims, Early winter storms: 1 paid, $985.
Storm stories
Memories, warnings and help from neighbors in Gorham.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), census-tract table, combined by where Gorham’s residents lived in the 2020 census; OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. Preparedness tips: Ready.gov. FEMA’s model is an average of expected damage, not a forecast. How hazard risk is graded.