Natural hazards · Charlemont

Charlemont, MA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Charlemont comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 4 claims here since 2006. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Charlemont?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Charlemont to be higher than in 78% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding81%Cold waves6%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Charlemont faces

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

Inland flooding

81% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 42% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningAvalanches

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtTsunamisVolcanic 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 Charlemont flood?

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

4paid claims since 2006

$49Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20062026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irene: 3 claims, $41K

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Franklin County.

Disasters that hit Charlemont

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CharlemontDeclared for Franklin County only

2013

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$18K to the Town of Charlemont for repairs

2011

Severe Storm and Snowstorm

$11K to the Town of Charlemont for repairs

2011

Tropical Storm Irene

67 households applied for aid $189K aid approved $304K to the Town of Charlemont for repairs

2008

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$12K to the Town of Charlemont for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

$165K to the Town of Charlemont for repairs

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $129K to the Town of Charlemont for repairs

2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$9K to the Town of Charlemont for repairs

2003

Snow

$15K to the Town of Charlemont for repairs

2001

Snow

$7K to the Town of Charlemont for repairs

Franklin County has had 18 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Charlemont

Charlemont and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Charlemontmostly inland floodingHigh

Rowemostly inland floodingHigh

Heathmostly inland floodingHigh

Hawleymostly inland floodingHigh

Colrainmostly inland floodingHigh

Bucklandmostly inland floodingHigh

Shelburnemostly inland floodingHigh

Floridamostly 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. Charlemont is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Charlemont’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Charlemont. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

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.