Natural hazards · Bourne

Bourne, MA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Bourne comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 396 claims here since 1978. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Bourne?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Bourne to be higher than in 32% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding54%Hurricanes25%Coastal flooding10%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Bourne faces

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

Inland flooding

54% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 27% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

25% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 7 years in the area

Coastal flooding

10% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Bourne flood?

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

396paid claims since 1978

$5.6Mpaid to owners

14homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Bob: 295 claims, $4.9M
March 2010 Nor'easter: 6 claims, $29K
Hurricane Ida: 1 claim, $14K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Barnstable County.

Disasters that hit Bourne

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BourneDeclared for Barnstable County only

2015

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$131K to the Town of Bourne for repairs

2013

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$284K to the Town of Bourne for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

$51K to the Town of Bourne for repairs

2011

Tropical Storm Irene

$109K to the Town of Bourne for repairs

2010

Hurricane Earl

$6K to the Town of Bourne for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina Evacuation

$21K to the Town of Bourne for repairs

2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$147K to the Town of Bourne for repairs

2003

Snow

$122K to the Town of Bourne for repairs

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

Around Bourne

Bourne and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Falmouthmostly inland floodingModerate

Sandwichmostly inland floodingModerate

Warehammostly inland floodingLow

Bournemostly inland floodingLow

Marionmostly inland floodingLow

Plymouthmostly 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. Bourne covers 5 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Bourne’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Bourne. 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 Bourne total about $5.2M 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.