Natural hazards · Boston

Boston, GA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Boston comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Boston?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Boston to be higher than in 57% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes42%Inland flooding30%Cold waves13%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Boston faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Hurricanes

42% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Inland flooding

30% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 39% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Cold waves

13% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 66% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Boston flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Boston.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Boston isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Thomas County.

Disasters that hit Boston

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Boston itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the City of Boston.

Brought FEMA money into BostonDeclared for Thomas County only

2024

Hurricane Helene

240 households applied for aid $324K aid approved $19K to the City of Boston for repairs

2024

Tropical Storm Debby

$5K to the City of Boston for repairs

2023

Hurricane Idalia

6 households applied for aid $733 aid approved $21K to the City of Boston for repairs

2018

Hurricane Michael

38 households applied for aid $20K aid approved

2017

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

3 households applied for aid

2009

Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds

1 household applied for aid $308 aid approved

2004

Tropical Storm Frances

$2K to the City of Boston for repairs

Thomas County has had 14 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Boston is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Boston’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Boston. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); 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. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.