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Natural hazards · Ashburnham

Ashburnham, MA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Ashburnham comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 2010. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Ashburnham?

23
Low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Ashburnham to be higher than in 23% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding58%Hurricanes17%Cold waves8%Everything else17%
By hazard

What Ashburnham faces

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

Inland flooding

58% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 30% of U.S. places
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

17% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 9 years in the area

Cold waves

8% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 49% of U.S. places
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Ashburnham flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Ashburnham, from FEMA’s records.

1paid claims since 2010
$5Kpaid to owners
0homes flooded more than once
20102026

Biggest named events

  • March 2010 Nor'easter: 1 claim, $5K
of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Ashburnham isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Worcester County.
Disasters that hit Ashburnham

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into AshburnhamDeclared for Worcester County only
2023

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid
2015

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$25K to the Town of Ashburnham for repairs
2013

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$28K to the Town of Ashburnham for repairs
2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

14 households applied for aid $17K aid approved $25K to the Town of Ashburnham for repairs
2008

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$164K to the Town of Ashburnham for repairs
2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$24K to the Town of Ashburnham for repairs
2003

Snow

$29K to the Town of Ashburnham for repairs
2001

Snow

$18K to the Town of Ashburnham for repairs
Worcester County has had 28 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.
Around Ashburnham

Ashburnham and the towns around it

Westminster: Very low, mostly inland floodingGardner: Very low, mostly inland floodingAshby: Very low, mostly inland floodingFitchburg: Moderate, mostly inland floodingWinchendon: Moderate, mostly inland floodingPrinceton: Very low, mostly inland floodingHubbardston: Very low, mostly inland floodingTempleton: Low, mostly inland floodingTownsend: Low, mostly inland floodingLunenburg: Very low, mostly inland floodingLeominster: Low, mostly inland floodingRoyalston: Moderate, mostly inland floodingRindge: Low, mostly inland floodingAshburnham: Low, mostly inland flooding AshburnhamWestminsterGardnerAshbyFitchburgWinchendon
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Fitchburgmostly inland floodingModerate
Winchendonmostly inland floodingModerate
Ashburnhammostly inland floodingLow
Gardnermostly inland floodingVery low
Westminstermostly inland floodingVery low
Ashbymostly inland floodingVery low
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. Ashburnham covers 1 census tract, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Ashburnham’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Ashburnham. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Ashburnham total about $1.1M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

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.

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