Natural hazards · Edgartown

Edgartown, MA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Edgartown comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 38 claims here since 1978. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Edgartown?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Edgartown to be higher than in 28% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding57%Hurricanes33%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Edgartown faces

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

Inland flooding

57% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Hurricanes

33% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce 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 Edgartown flood?

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

38paid claims since 1978

$698Kpaid to owners

4homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

The “Halloween” storm: 14 claims, $317K
Hurricane Bob: 7 claims, $167K
December Storm - Nor'easter: 4 claims, $106K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Dukes County.

Disasters that hit Edgartown

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into EdgartownDeclared for Dukes County only

2015

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$33K to the Town of Edgartown for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

$8K to the Town of Edgartown for repairs

2011

Tropical Storm Irene

$11K to the Town of Edgartown for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

$9K to the Town of Edgartown for repairs

2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$25K to the Town of Edgartown for repairs

2003

Snow

$14K to the Town of Edgartown for repairs

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

Around Edgartown

Edgartown and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Oak Bluffsmostly inland floodingLow

Edgartownmostly inland floodingLow

West Tisburymostly 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. Edgartown covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Edgartown’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Edgartown. 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 Edgartown total about $2.3M 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.