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Natural hazards · Falmouth

Falmouth, MA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Falmouth comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 510 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 Falmouth?

46
Moderate
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Falmouth to be higher than in 46% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding59%Hurricanes26%Coastal flooding8%Everything else7%
By hazard

What Falmouth faces

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

Inland flooding

59% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 49% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

26% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Coastal flooding

8% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce 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 Falmouth flood?

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

510paid claims since 1978
$10.0Mpaid to owners
27homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • Hurricane Bob: 366 claims, $8.6M
  • Hurricane Sandy: 13 claims, $331K
  • December Storm - Nor'easter: 12 claims, $30K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (4) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Falmouth isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Barnstable County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
Disasters that hit Falmouth

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into FalmouthDeclared for Barnstable County only
2018

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$95K to the Town of Falmouth for repairs
2015

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$201K to the Town of Falmouth for repairs
2013

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$57K to the Town of Falmouth for repairs
2012

Hurricane Sandy

$211K to the Town of Falmouth for repairs
2011

Tropical Storm Irene

$437K to the Town of Falmouth for repairs
2010

Hurricane Earl

$25K to the Town of Falmouth for repairs
2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

$15K to the Town of Falmouth for repairs
2005

Hurricane Katrina Evacuation

$3K to the Town of Falmouth for repairs
2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$154K to the Town of Falmouth for repairs
2003

Snow

$109K to the Town of Falmouth for repairs
Barnstable County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.
Around Falmouth

Falmouth and the towns around it

Mashpee: Moderate, mostly inland floodingBourne: Low, mostly inland floodingGosnold: Low, mostly inland floodingSandwich: Moderate, mostly inland floodingBarnstable Town: Moderate, mostly inland floodingWareham: Low, mostly inland floodingPlymouth: Very low, mostly inland floodingMarion: Low, mostly inland floodingAquinnah: Low, mostly inland floodingDartmouth: Very low, mostly inland floodingChilmark: Low, mostly inland floodingWest Tisbury: Low, mostly inland floodingTisbury: Low, mostly inland floodingFalmouth: Moderate, mostly inland flooding FalmouthMashpeeBourneGosnoldSandwich
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Mashpeemostly inland floodingModerate
Falmouthmostly inland floodingModerate
Sandwichmostly inland floodingModerate
Bournemostly inland floodingLow
Gosnoldmostly 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. Falmouth covers 7 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Falmouth’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Falmouth. 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 Falmouth total about $12.3M 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.

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You’re in Falmouth, MABarnstable 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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