Climate Risk Summary

Wilmington, DE Risk Profile

The primary drivers of climate-related financial risk in Wilmington, DE are Inland Flooding, Earthquake, and Coastal Flooding. This area also faces an unusually high intensity for Winter Weather compared to national averages.

City-Wide Aggregation

These scores represent the population-weighted average across all residential blocks in Wilmington.

Primary Risks

Inland Flooding

$25,151,549

Expected Annual Loss for Wilmington

65.2Score

Very High compared to US average

Wilmington
Minimal Estimated LossMax Estimated Loss

Earthquake

$1,603,542

Expected Annual Loss for Wilmington

66.1Score

Relatively Moderate compared to US average

Wilmington
Minimal Estimated LossMax Estimated Loss

Coastal Flooding

$2,036,446

Expected Annual Loss for Wilmington

31.8Score

Very High compared to US average

Wilmington
Minimal Estimated LossMax Estimated Loss

City Boundary

Legend
Very Low
Low
Moderate
High
Very High
Extreme

Financial Risk Inventory

MAJOR DRIVER
Inland Flooding
$25,151,549
Score: 65.2
MAJOR DRIVER
Earthquake
$1,603,542
Score: 66.1
MAJOR DRIVER
Coastal Flooding
$2,036,446
Score: 31.8
Cold Wave
$1,301,101
Score: 56.7
Heat Wave
$876,539
Score: 54.7
Hurricane
$913,150
Score: 63.1
Tornado
$845,553
Score: 41.0
UNUSUALLY HIGH
Winter Weather
$318,827
Score: 88.5
Strong Wind
$255,409
Score: 38.5
Ice Storm
$121,840
Score: 51.4
Lightning
$107,357
Score: 30.1
Hail
$3,937
Score: 4.4
Wildfire
$1,386
Score: 13.7
Landslide
$120
Score: 37.2
Drought
$5
Score: 5.1

Recommended investments to protect your property value and reduce insurance liability based on your local risk profile.

💧Medium Investment

Inland Flooding Mitigation

Install a smart sump pump with battery backup and extend downspouts 10ft from foundation.

Risk Score: 65.2
🏠Low Investment

Earthquake Mitigation

General property maintenance and insurance review recommended.

Risk Score: 66.1
🏠Low Investment

Cold Wave Mitigation

General property maintenance and insurance review recommended.

Risk Score: 56.7
☀️Low Investment

Heat Wave Mitigation

Ensure attic insulation is R-49+ and consider a dual-fuel backup generator for AC.

Risk Score: 54.7
🌀High Investment

Hurricane Mitigation

Install permanent hurricane shutters or upgrade to impact-resistant windows.

Risk Score: 63.1
🏠Low Investment

Winter Weather Mitigation

General property maintenance and insurance review recommended.

Risk Score: 88.5
❄️Medium Investment

Ice Storm Mitigation

Install a 10kWh backup battery system to keep pipes from freezing during grid failure.

Risk Score: 51.4

Sources and Methodology

Spatial Aggregation

Our "Atlas" risk scores are derived using a population-weighted spatial join. Because US Zip Codes and Census Tracts do not share perfectly aligned boundaries, a simple geographic average would be misleading. We utilize US Census Block Group population statistics to identify where residents actually live within a Zip Code. We then intersect these points with FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) hazard data to calculate a weighted exposure score.

Financial Projections (EAL)

Expected Annual Loss (EAL) estimates the average economic impact of natural hazards in dollars per year. This calculation incorporates three components: Exposure (the value of structures and agriculture), Annualized Frequency (historical probability), and Historic Loss Ratio (vulnerability of the area).

Primary Data Sources

  • FEMA National Risk IndexHazard frequency and loss data (v1.20.0)
  • U.S. Census BureauTIGER/Line 2025 Shapefiles & Decennial Population

Nearby Cities

BellefonteEdgemoorElsmereNew CastleNewport

Zip Codes in Wilmington

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