Natural hazards · Clinton

Clinton, MA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Clinton comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 24 claims here since 1978. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Clinton?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Clinton to be higher than in 9% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes25%Inland flooding24%Cold waves21%Earthquakes10%Heat waves5%Strong wind5%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Clinton faces

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

Hurricanes

25% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Inland flooding

24% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 2% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Cold waves

21% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 49% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

10% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 73% of U.S. places

Heat waves

5% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 11% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Strong wind

5% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 45% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireLandslidesLightning

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 Clinton flood?

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

24paid claims since 1978

$404Kpaid to owners

3homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

March 2010 Nor'easter: 18 claims, $357K
April 2007 Nor'easter: 1 claim, $8K

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. Clinton 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 Clinton

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ClintonDeclared for Worcester County only

2018

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$67K to the Town of Clinton for repairs

2015

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$62K to the Town of Clinton for repairs

2013

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$59K to the Town of Clinton for repairs

2011

Severe Storm and Snowstorm

$86K to the Town of Clinton for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$9K to the Town of Clinton for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

168 households applied for aid $357K aid approved $90K to the Town of Clinton for repairs

2008

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$146K to the Town of Clinton for repairs

2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$66K to the Town of Clinton for repairs

2003

Snow

$77K to the Town of Clinton for repairs

2001

Snow

$35K to the Town of Clinton for repairs

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

Around Clinton

Clinton and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Berlinmostly inland floodingLow

Lancastermostly inland floodingLow

Boltonmostly inland floodingLow

Sterlingmostly inland floodingVery low

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. Clinton covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Clinton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Clinton. 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 Clinton total about $1.0M 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.