Natural hazards · Belchertown

Belchertown, MA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Belchertown comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 1984. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Belchertown?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Belchertown to be higher than in 25% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding61%Hurricanes16%Everything else23%

By hazard

What Belchertown faces

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

Inland flooding

61% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 36% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

16% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 9 years in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat 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 Belchertown flood?

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

3paid claims since 1984

$14Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19842026

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Hampshire County.

Disasters that hit Belchertown

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BelchertownDeclared for Hampshire County only

2013

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$66K to the Town of Belchertown for repairs

2011

Severe Storm and Snowstorm

$470K to the Town of Belchertown for repairs

2011

Tropical Storm Irene

$16K to the Town of Belchertown for repairs

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$61K to the Town of Belchertown for repairs

2008

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$2K to the Town of Belchertown for repairs

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

6 households applied for aid $6K aid approved $16K to the Town of Belchertown for repairs

2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$49K to the Town of Belchertown for repairs

2003

Snow

$76K to the Town of Belchertown for repairs

2001

Snow

$29K to the Town of Belchertown for repairs

Hampshire County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.

Around Belchertown

Belchertown and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Palmer Townmostly inland floodingModerate

Ludlowmostly inland floodingModerate

Waremostly inland floodingModerate

New Salemmostly inland floodingLow

Pelhammostly inland floodingLow

Belchertownmostly inland floodingLow

Granbymostly inland floodingLow

Amherst Townmostly inland floodingLow

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. Belchertown covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Belchertown’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Belchertown. 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 Belchertown total about $3.3M 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.