These MD Counties Among Worst In U.S. For Flooding: Ranking

MARYLAND — How at risk of flooding is your Maryland county? If you live in or frequently visit several along the Eastern Shore or Chesapeake Bay, the risk is higher than other counties in the nation, according to a new ranking released this week.

To determine which were most at risk for flooding and flood damage, lawn care blog LawnStarter compared more than 940 counties with a moderate to very high flood risk by analyzing data from the Federal Emergency Agency and U.S. Census Bureau.

Data included each county’s risk and expected annual loss from riverine and coastal flooding. LawnStarter also looked at the number of people living in mobile homes, in addition to local demand for flood insurance.

Anne Arundel County ranked highest among Maryland counties at No. 120. Most of the county's borders are defined by water. To the east lies the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay. The Patapsco River forms part of the county's northern border, and the Patuxent River makes up much of the southern and western limits.

Several other Maryland counties and cities made the list. Here's a glance at the counties most at risk of flooding:

• Worcester County: No. 124
• Dorchester County: No. 142
• Somerset County: No. 156
• Cecil County: No. 172
• Harford County: No. 194
• Caroline County: No. 196

Gulf Coast states Florida, Louisiana and Texas accounted for nearly half of the 100 most vulnerable counties mainly due to hurricane-related flooding. Counties in Texas and Louisiana experience among the highest economic impacts from riverine flooding, according to the study.

Meanwhile, counties in Mid-Atlantic states like New Jersey, New York and Virginia also face the highest flood risk. Garden State counties scored among the 10 counties with the highest overall economic impact from coastal and riverine flooding.

Here's a look at the top 20 U.S. counties most at risk for flooding:

1. Harris County, TX
2. Bergen County, NJ
3. Ocean County, NJ
4. Atlantic County, NJ
5. Cape May County, NJ
6. Cameron County, TX
7. Volusia County, FL
8. Miami-Dade County, FL
9. St. Johns County, FL
10. Brevard County, FL
11. Philadelphia County, PA
12. Dixie County, FL
13. Coos County, OR
14. St. Mary Parish, LA
15. St. Martin Parish, LA
16. Middlesex County, NJ
17. Galveston County, TX
18. Livingston Parish, LA
19. Brazoria County, TX
20. Monmouth County, NJ

See the full ranking online.