Natural hazards · Boylston

Boylston, MA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Boylston comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 4 claims here since 1979. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Boylston?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Boylston to be higher than in 14% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding43%Hurricanes30%Cold waves9%Everything else18%

By hazard

What Boylston faces

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

Inland flooding

43% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 8% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

30% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Cold waves

9% 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 Boylston flood?

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

4paid claims since 1979

$13Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Not a named storm: 1 claim, $204

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Boylston 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 Boylston

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BoylstonDeclared for Worcester County only

2023

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid

2015

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$24K to the Town of Boylston for repairs

2013

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$26K to the Town of Boylston for repairs

2011

Severe Storm and Snowstorm

$109K to the Town of Boylston for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$9K to the Town of Boylston for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

12 households applied for aid $8K aid approved

2008

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$269K to the Town of Boylston for repairs

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

$2K to the Town of Boylston for repairs

2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$17K to the Town of Boylston for repairs

2003

Snow

$27K to the Town of Boylston for repairs

2001

Snow

$12K to the Town of Boylston for repairs

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

Around Boylston

Boylston and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Northboroughmostly inland floodingLow

Berlinmostly inland floodingLow

Boylstonmostly inland floodingVery low

Shrewsburymostly inland floodingVery low

West Boylstonmostly inland floodingVery low

Clintonmostly hurricanesVery 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. Boylston covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Boylston’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Boylston. 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 Boylston total about $734K 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.