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Natural hazards · Charlton

Charlton, MA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Charlton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 1979. 14 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Charlton?

25
Low
vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding58%Hurricanes20%Cold waves5%Everything else17%
By hazard

What Charlton faces

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

Inland flooding

58% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 32% of U.S. places
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

20% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 8 years in the area

Cold waves

5% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 46% of U.S. places
Recorded about 3 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 Charlton flood?

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

1paid claims since 1979
$17Kpaid to owners
0homes flooded more than once
19792026

Biggest named events

  • Not a named storm: 1 claim, $17K
of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Charlton 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 Charlton

14 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CharltonDeclared for Worcester County only
2023

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $6K aid approved
2018

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$54K to the Town of Charlton for repairs
2015

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$55K to the Town of Charlton for repairs
2013

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$56K to the Town of Charlton for repairs
2011

Severe Storm and Snowstorm

$76K to the Town of Charlton for repairs
2011

Hurricane Irene

$14K to the Town of Charlton for repairs
2011

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

12 households applied for aid $135 aid approved
2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

7 households applied for aid $2K aid approved $15K to the Town of Charlton for repairs
2008

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$125K to the Town of Charlton for repairs
2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

11 households applied for aid $18K aid approved $86K to the Town of Charlton for repairs
2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$43K to the Town of Charlton for repairs
2004

Flooding

1 household applied for aid
2003

Snow

$57K to the Town of Charlton for repairs
2001

Snow

$37K to the Town of Charlton for repairs
Worcester County has had 28 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.
Around Charlton

Charlton and the towns around it

Southbridge Town: High, mostly inland floodingOxford: Low, mostly inland floodingSturbridge: Low, mostly inland floodingEast Brookfield: Moderate, mostly inland floodingSpencer: Low, mostly inland floodingDudley: Low, mostly inland floodingMillbury: Low, mostly inland floodingAuburn: Very low, mostly inland floodingSutton: Very low, mostly inland floodingDouglas: Low, mostly inland floodingBrookfield: Moderate, mostly inland floodingHolland: Moderate, mostly inland floodingBrimfield: Low, mostly inland floodingNorth Brookfield: Moderate, mostly inland floodingPaxton: Very low, mostly inland floodingOakham: Low, mostly inland floodingCharlton: Low, mostly inland flooding CharltonSouthbridge TownOxfordSturbridgeEast BrookfieldSpencer
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Southbridge Townmostly inland floodingHigh
East Brookfieldmostly inland floodingModerate
Sturbridgemostly inland floodingLow
Oxfordmostly inland floodingLow
Charltonmostly inland floodingLow
Spencermostly 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. Charlton covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Charlton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Charlton. 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 Charlton total about $2.6M 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.

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You’re in Charlton, MAWorcester CountyView boundary

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/15 · 2025-01-01
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