Natural hazards · Berlin

Berlin, MA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Berlin comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Berlin?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Berlin to be higher than in 22% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding53%Hurricanes27%Cold waves6%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Berlin faces

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

Inland flooding

53% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 21% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

27% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Cold waves

6% 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 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 Berlin flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Berlin 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 Berlin

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BerlinDeclared for Worcester County only

2015

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$33K to the Town of Berlin for repairs

2013

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$21K to the Town of Berlin for repairs

2011

Severe Storm and Snowstorm

$70K to the Town of Berlin for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$17K to the Town of Berlin for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

7 households applied for aid $9K aid approved

2008

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$74K to the Town of Berlin for repairs

2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$13K to the Town of Berlin for repairs

2003

Snow

$18K to the Town of Berlin for repairs

2001

Snow

$9K to the Town of Berlin for repairs

Worcester County has had 28 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Berlin

Berlin and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Berlinmostly inland floodingLow

Northboroughmostly inland floodingLow

Boltonmostly inland floodingLow

Hudsonmostly inland floodingVery low

Boylstonmostly inland floodingVery low

Clintonmostly hurricanesVery low

Marlboroughmostly 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. Berlin covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Berlin’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Berlin. 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 Berlin total about $688K 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.