Natural hazards · Fall River

Fall River, MA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Fall River comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 10 claims here since 1991. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Fall River?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Fall River to be higher than in 23% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding75%Hurricanes12%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Fall River faces

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

Inland flooding

75% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 43% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

12% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 5 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 Fall River flood?

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

10paid claims since 1991

$111Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19912026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Bob: 5 claims, $68K
March 2010 Nor'easter: 2 claims, $14K
Hurricane Ida: 1 claim, $17K

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. Fall River isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Bristol County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

13buildings floodproofed

Disasters that hit Fall River

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Fall River itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the City of Fall River.

Brought FEMA money into Fall RiverDeclared for Bristol County only

2023

Severe Storms and Flooding

4 households applied for aid

2022

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$364K to the City of Fall River for repairs

2015

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$524K to the City of Fall River for repairs

2013

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$472K to the City of Fall River for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

$109K to the City of Fall River for repairs

2011

Tropical Storm Irene

$149K to the City of Fall River for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

804 households applied for aid $1.5M aid approved $636K to the City of Fall River for repairs

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid

2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$404K to the City of Fall River for repairs

2003

Snow

$180K to the City of Fall River for repairs

Bristol County has had 23 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Fall River

Fall River and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Freetownmostly inland floodingLow

Fall Rivermostly inland floodingLow

Westportmostly inland floodingVery low

Tivertonmostly inland floodingVery low

Somersetmostly inland floodingVery 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. Fall River covers 26 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Fall River’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Fall River. 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 Fall River total about $12.9M 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.