Natural hazards · Framingham

Framingham, MA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Framingham comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 165 claims here since 1978. 14 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Framingham?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Framingham to be higher than in 10% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding59%Hurricanes12%Earthquakes11%Everything else19%

By hazard

What Framingham 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

Well below average · higher than 17% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

12% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 78% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Earthquakes

11% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 64% of U.S. places

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Framingham flood?

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

165paid claims since 1978

$1.7Mpaid to owners

17homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Not a named storm: 69 claims, $311K
March 2010 Nor'easter: 24 claims, $409K
December Nor'easter: 4 claims, $21K

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

Insurance rates: Middlesex County.

Disasters that hit Framingham

14 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into FraminghamDeclared for Middlesex County only

2018

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$439K to the City of Framingham for repairs

2015

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$537K to the City of Framingham for repairs

2013

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$335K to the City of Framingham for repairs

2011

Severe Storm and Snowstorm

$93K to the City of Framingham for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$70K to the City of Framingham for repairs

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$291K to the City of Framingham for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

404 households applied for aid $474K aid approved $173K to the City of Framingham for repairs

2008

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$49K to the City of Framingham for repairs

2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

4 households applied for aid $14K aid approved $38K to the City of Framingham for repairs

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

2 households applied for aid $3K aid approved

2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$294K to the City of Framingham for repairs

2004

Flooding

3 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

2003

Snow

$340K to the City of Framingham for repairs

2001

Snow

$194K to the City of Framingham for repairs

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

Around Framingham

Framingham and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Southboroughmostly inland floodingVery low

Ashlandmostly inland floodingVery low

Sherbornmostly inland floodingVery low

Natickmostly inland floodingVery low

Framinghammostly inland floodingVery low

Sudburymostly inland floodingVery low

Waylandmostly inland floodingVery low

Marlboroughmostly 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. Framingham covers 16 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Framingham’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Framingham. 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 Framingham total about $11.3M 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.